Colombian Military Plane Crashes Near Peru Border; 110 Soldiers On Board

A military aircraft carrying 110 soldiers crashed shortly after taking off in Colombia's remote southern Amazon region. According to the Colombian Ministry of Defense, the accident involved a Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130 aircraft.

Following the crash, approximately 57 people have been pulled alive from the wreckage. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has expressed concern over the incident.

The plane crashed on Monday near the town of Puerto Leguízamo, located close to the Peruvian border, while transporting the soldiers.

According to the local media outlet *BluRadio*, there were 110 soldiers on board the aircraft at the time of the crash. The accident occurred just 3 kilometers away from an urban area. According to *Reuters*, approximately 57 people have been rescued alive from the wreckage of the Hercules C-130.

Videos shared by local media show plumes of black smoke rising from the crash site.

HUGE FIRE AS COLOMBIAN MILITARY PLANE CARRYING AT LEAST 100 CRASHES pic.twitter.com/HR46W42QLe

— RT (@RT_com) March 23, 2026

Colombian President Expresses Concern Over Incident

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has expressed his concern regarding the military aircraft crash. Writing on the social media platform X, he stated, "I hope that there have been no casualties in this horrific accident—an accident that should never have happened."

Petro has linked this accident to the long-standing delays in the modernization of Colombia's military fleet. Gustavo Petro stated, "I will tolerate no further delays; the lives of our youth are at stake. If civil or military administrative officials are unable to rise to this challenge, they must be removed from their posts."

Summary

The Hercules C-130, first introduced in the 1950s, has been a vital component of military transport fleets worldwide—including that of Colombia since the late 1960s. Although some aircraft have undergone periodic upgrades, concerns regarding aging equipment persist.