Bogota, March 24 (NationPress) The number of fatalities from a tragic Colombian military aircraft incident in the Putumayo region has increased to 66, with reports of 57 additional injuries, according to local media citing military officials.

There were a total of 114 passengers along with 11 crew members aboard the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. Carlos Silva, the commander of the Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC), confirmed in a video uploaded on social media that an investigation team has been dispatched to uncover the reasons behind the crash, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro mentioned in a post that the condition of over 40 individuals who were on the plane remains uncertain.

In a video shared on social media, Colombian Air Force Commander Fernando Silva reiterated that the aircraft was carrying 114 passengers and 11 crew members, while affirming that authorities are probing into the accident's causes.

On Monday, Colombian Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez stated on social media that the transport plane crashed during takeoff from Puerto Leguizamo. He added that military personnel are currently present at the site, and the reason for the crash is still under investigation.

Sanchez offered his deepest condolences to the families affected by the tragedy, emphasizing that all necessary protocols have been activated to assist those impacted.

Some injured soldiers have been airlifted to the capital, Bogota, for medical treatment.

Sanchez expressed his sympathies to the families of the victims.

President Petro stated that the crash was an event that “should never have occurred.” He attributed the incident to the stagnation in modernizing the armed forces, citing bureaucratic challenges.

The accident transpired as the Lockheed Martin-manufactured Hercules C-130 was taking off from Puerto Leguizamo, located near the border with Peru, as indicated by Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez in a prior post.

President Petro expressed gratitude to those who hurried to the crash site to aid the survivors.

Flight records reveal that the aircraft was a C-130H Hercules, an older version of the C-130 model first introduced into service in March 1965, as reported by manufacturer Lockheed Martin. This aircraft was donated to the Colombian Air Force by the US Air Force in September 2020.

Footage circulating on social media captured the moment the troop transport plane fell into a sharp dive shortly after departure. Additional reports from local outlet BluRadio showed thick smoke rising from the wreckage post-impact. Although these visuals have not been independently verified, BluRadio noted that the incident occurred merely 3 km from a populated area.