A military transport aircraft carrying 128 people, predominantly soldiers, crashed shortly after departureon Monday in Puerto Leguizamo, Colombia, resulting in at least 66 fatalities and leaving dozens wounded, according to the head of Colombia'sarmed forces.
General Hugo Alejandro Lopez Barreto confirmed that fourmilitary personnelremained unaccounted for.
"Sadly, as a consequence of this tragic accident, 66 of our military elements died," he said.
"At the moment, we have no information, or indications, that it was an attack by an illegal armed group," Mr Barreto added.
In footage posted on social media, deputy mayor Carlos Claros explained that the victims' bodies were transported to the small town's morgue, whilst the town's only two clinics treated the wounded before they were airlifted to larger urban centres. Puerto Leguizamo is situated in Putumayo, an Amazonian province bordering Ecuador and Peru.
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"I want to thank the people of Puerto Leguizamo who came out to help the victims of this accident," Mr Claros told Colombian television station RCN.
Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez stated on X that the aircraft which crashed on Monday was transporting troops to another city within Putumayo.
Footage circulated online by Colombian media outlets depicted a black plume of smoke billowing from a field where the aircraft came down, alongside a lorry carrying soldiers racing towards the scene.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
