Death toll in Colombia military plane crash climbs to 66

The death toll from the Colombian Air Force plane crash rose to 66, with dozens injured by Monday evening, nearly doubling earlier figures, two military sources told Reuters, as recovery teams continued to retrieve bodies from the wreckage.

The incident is among the deadliest accidents in recent history for Colombia’s Air Force.The crash occurred when the Lockheed Martin-built Hercules C-130 transport aircraft was taking off from Puerto Leguizamo, near Colombia’s border with Peru, defence minister Pedro Sanchez said on X.Firefighter Eduardo San Juan Callejas told Caracol that the aircraft is believed to have suffered an impact near the end of the runway during take-off.

As it descended, one of its wings struck a tree before the aircraft plummeted to the ground.The crash triggered a fire, which in turn caused explosive devices being transported onboard to detonate, further intensifying the destruction.Residents in the remote area were the first to respond, pulling survivors from the wreckage. Videos from the scene showed injured soldiers being rushed along dirt roads on the back of motorcycles.

Military vehicles later reached the site, though authorities said rescue efforts were hampered by the area’s inaccessibility.Earlier, the Air Force had reported 121 people onboard, including 110 soldiers and 11 crew members. It remains unclear what accounts for the discrepancy between these figures and those cited by local authorities, as investigations continue, Reuters reported.