At Least 66 Killed After Colombian Military Plane Crashes in Southern Amazon

At least 66 people have died, and dozens more were injured after a Colombian military transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff on March 23, 2026, in the southern Amazon region of Colombia. The aircraft, a Lockheed Martin C‑130 Hercules, went down near Puerto Leguízamo while carrying 128 people, including soldiers, crew members, and national police officers. Four people remain missing, and 58 others were reported injured.

The plane was on a routine flight from Caucayá Airport in Puerto Leguízamo to Tres de Mayo Airport in Puerto Asís, both in the Putumayo department near Colombia’s border with Peru and Ecuador. It crashed into dense jungle shortly after departure and was destroyed by a post‑crash fire.

Rescue teams, supported by local residents, worked at the scene to recover bodies and evacuate survivors to medical facilities. Injured personnel were first treated at local clinics before being transported to larger hospitals in nearby cities by military aircraft.

Colombia’s President described the incident as a tragic accident and noted that there is no indication that the crash was caused by an attack. National authorities have launched a full investigation into the cause, which is currently unknown. Mechanical failure is being considered but has not been confirmed.

The fallen service members included army soldiers, crew, and police personnel. The transportation mission was part of regular military operations in the region. The C‑130 involved, tail number FAC1016, was acquired by Colombia from the United States and had undergone maintenance and overhaul in recent years, though questions about equipment age and military readiness have emerged following the crash.

This crash marks one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Colombia’s recent history and has prompted renewed calls for modernization and improved safety standards for the country’s military aircraft.