A Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130 military aircraft crashed while taking off from Puerto Leguizamo in Colombia's southern Amazon region, bordering Peru, on Monday, according to the Defense Ministry. Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez described it as a "tragic accident." Preliminary figures from General Carlos Fernando Silva indicate the plane was carrying 114 passengers and 11 crew members, with 48 survivors reported.

The exact number of victims and causes of the crash remain undetermined. Photos shared online show a black cloud of smoke rising from the crash site, with soldiers rushing to the scene. Local media reported the crash occurred just 3 kilometers from an urban center, citing authorities.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, in a post on X, criticized "bureaucratic difficulties" for delaying his plans to modernize the military, stating, "I will grant no further delays; it is the lives of our young people that are at stake." He added that civilian or military administrative officials not up to the challenge must be removed, highlighting systemic issues within the US-aligned regime's defense infrastructure.

Colombia has been acquiring Hercules C-130 planes since the late 1960s, with models dating back to the 1950s. Recently, the country replaced some older aircraft with newer ones sent from the US. This incident follows a similar C-130 crash in Bolivia in February, which killed over 20 people and injured 30, raising concerns about the safety and maintenance of aging military fleets in the region.

Source: www.dw.com