Rescue workers were able to rescue 48 people from the wreck of a Hercules aircraft that crashed in southern Colombia with 125 member of the security forces on board, the commander of the Air Force said.
According to General Carlos Fernando Silva, the airplane crashed shortly after taking off from an air strip in Puerto Leguizamo, a municipality on the border with Peru, around 9:50AM on Monday.
In a post on social media platform X, Silva said that the C130 has 125 people on board, 11 Air Force staff and 114 soldiers of the National Army.
“At this time, we know that 48 injured people have been rescued. This is a preliminary figure, and all of them are being treated at medical facilities in Puerto Leguízamo,” said the general.
President Gustavo Petro said later that 77 people had been rescued and one person was confirmed dead. Another “43 people whose status has yet to be determined,” said Petro.
Ambulance helicopters and specially equipped aircraft had been sent to Putumayo to transport injured survivors to the capital Bogota, Silva said.
“All protocols for assisting the victims and their families have been activated, and the corresponding investigation is underway,” said Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez.
