Military plane carrying 125 people crashes in Colombia

A military transport plane carrying 125 people has crashed in Colombia killing at least one person.

The country's defence minister Pedro Anulfo Sanchez said on Monday the Lockheed Martin Hercules ‌C-130 plane had "suffered a tragic accident".

Mr Sanchez said he hoped the prayers of Colombians would help alleviate the "pain" of the families of the victims.

77 people have been rescued and taken to hospital, leaving around 40 individuals unaccounted for, authorities said.

Colombian Air Force Commander Fernando Silva said in a video posted on social ‌media that the plane was carrying 114 passengers and 11 crew, and that officials were still investigating the cause of the crash.

Early reports said that many on board were soldiers.

President Gustavo Petro also commented - criticising those blocking his plans to modernise the military.

Colombia began buying C-130 planes as far back as the 1960s.

Mr Petro said in a post on X: "I hope there are ⁠no fatalities in this horrific accident that should never have happened.

"I will grant no further delays; it is the ‌lives of our young people that are at stake.

"If civilian or military administrative officials are not up to this challenge, they must be removed."

The aircraft was taking off from an airport deep in Colombia's southern Amazon region, on the border with Peru.

The crash occurred just two miles from a busy urban centre, local media BluRadio claim.

Footage purporting to show the crash shows a military plane taking off over dense rainforest, before slowly descending back towards the ground.

Another clip shows locals transporting injured soldiers to safety on the back of their motorbikes.

Mr Sanchez said, in a translated X post: "With deep sorrow, I report that a Hercules aircraft from our [Colombian Aerospace Force] suffered a tragic accident while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo (Putumayo), while transporting troops from our Public Force.

"Military units are already at the scene; however, the number of victims and the causes of the accident have not yet been precisely determined.

"All protocols for assisting the victims and their families have been activated, as well as the corresponding investigation.

"I express my sincerest condolences to the families of those affected and, out of respect for their grief, I urge everyone to avoid speculation until official information is available.

"This is a profoundly painful event for the country."

The Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules is used by militaries across the world.

They were first launched in the 1950s and Colombia acquired its first models ⁠in the late 1960s.

Last month, another C-130 belonging to the Bolivian Air ​Force crashed in the city ​of Alto, killing 20 and injuring another 30.

Banknotes from the plane's cargo scattered around the city - prompting clashes between residents and security forces.

It is also the second plane crash to make headlines in Colombia this year - back in January a small passenger plane crashed in the north of the country.

All 15 people on board, including a congressman, were killed.

(c) Sky News 2026: Military plane carrying 125 people crashes in Colombia