A military transport plane carrying 110 soldiers has been involved in a “horrific accident” in Colombia, local media have reported.
The country’s defence minister Pedro Anulfo Sanchez said on Monday the Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130 plane had “suffered a tragic accident”.
President Gustavo Petro said in a post on X: “I hope there are no fatalities in this horrific accident that should never have happened.”
He went on to criticized obstacles for delaying his plans to modernize the Colombian military.
He said: “I will grant no further delays; it is the lives of our young people that are at stake.
“If civilian or military administrative officials are not up to this challenge, they must be removed.”
Local media outlet BluRadio reported that 110 soldiers were on board at the time and Mr Sanchez said he hoped the prayers of Colombians would help alleviate the “pain” of the families of the victims.
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It is not known how many people have been killed or injured.
The aircraft was taking off from an airport deep in Colombia’s southern Amazon region, on the border with Peru, when BluRadio said it was involved in a crash about 3km (2 miles) from an urban centre.
Mr Sanchez said, in a translated X post: “With deep sorrow, I report that a Hercules aircraft from our [Colombian Aerospace Force] suffered a tragic accident while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo (Putumayo), while transporting troops from our Public Force.
“Military units are already at the scene; however, the number of victims and the causes of the accident have not yet been precisely determined.
“All protocols for assisting the victims and their families have been activated, as well as the corresponding investigation.
“I express my sincerest condolences to the families of those affected and, out of respect for their grief, I urge everyone to avoid speculation until official information is available.
“This is a profoundly painful event for the country.”
The Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules is used by militaries across the world.
The were first launched in the 1950s and Colombia acquired its first models in the late 1960s.
Last month another C-130 belonging to the Bolivian Air Force crashed in the city of Alto, killing 20 and injuring another 30.
Banknotes form the planes cargo scattered around the city – prompting clashes between residents and security forces.
It is also the second plane crash to make headlines in Colombia this year – back in January a small passenger plane crashed in the north of the country.
All 15 people on board, including a congressman, were killed.
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