A Colombian military transport plane crashed during takeoff near the Peru border on March 23, 2026, killing 66 people and leaving four missing. The Hercules C-130 aircraft, carrying 128 military and police personnel, reportedly suffered a runway impact before clipping a tree and igniting mid-air, according to Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Rescue teams faced significant challenges reaching the remote crash site near Puerto Leguizamo, with local residents using motorcycles to evacuate survivors before military support arrived. Of the 62 survivors, 57 remain hospitalized as of March 24, with 30 in stable condition at a military clinic.
President Gustavo Petro condemned bureaucratic delays in military modernization during a social media address, stating: "I will grant no further delays; it is the lives of our young people that are at stake." The remarks come amid Colombia's ongoing six-decade internal conflict, which has seen increased use of aging C-130s for troop transport.
The crash has drawn attention to Colombia's military procurement practices, particularly its acquisition of refurbished U.S. aircraft. Lockheed Martin confirmed it is assisting Colombian authorities with the investigation. This incident follows a similar C-130 crash in Bolivia last month that killed over 20 people.
With Colombia's presidential election approaching on May 31, multiple candidates have called for urgent aviation safety reviews and modernization of military infrastructure.
