On March 23, 2026, a Lockheed C-130H Hercules military transport aircraft operated by the Colombian Air Force crashed shortly after taking off from the Caucayá Airport in Puerto Leguízamo, Colombia,. The aircraft, identified by registration FAC1016, was en route to the Tres de Mayo Airport in Puerto Asís as part of a troop transport mission,. During its initial climb, the plane lost lift and crashed into dense jungle approximately two kilometers from the airfield,,. The impact was followed by a post-crash fire that destroyed the aircraft,.Reports regarding the number of people on board vary slightly, with figures ranging between 121 and 128 occupants,,. The majority of those on board were members of the National Army of Colombia, accompanied by two police officers and 11 crew members,. At least 66 people were killed in the disaster, which is considered the deadliest accident in the history of the Colombian Air Force,. Dozens of survivors were rescued, with at least 77 people reported injured, some of whom were flown to Bogotá for critical care,,.The aircraft involved was a model manufactured in 1984 that had been donated by the United States in 2020 as part of an excess defense articles program,. Although it was an older model, it had undergone a major structural overhaul and engine updates between 2021 and 2023,. Defense officials stated the plane was in airworthy condition and the crew was fully qualified for the mission,.Investigators have ruled out an attack by illegal armed groups as the cause of the crash,. While the technical investigation is ongoing, potential causes being examined include mechanical failure or meteorological factors such as high humidity and high temperature, which can impair engine performance and lift during takeoff in tropical environments,. Sounds of explosions heard by witnesses at the site were attributed to ammunition carried by the troopsdetonating in the intense heat of the fire,.The Colombian President expressed that the accident should never have happened and pointed to bureaucratic delaysthat hindered his efforts to modernize the military's aging fleet,. He suggested that administrative officials responsible for these delays should be removed from their positions,. Search and rescue efforts were initially complicated by the difficult terrain of the Amazonian jungle where the wreckage was located,. Local residents were among the first to provide assistance at the scene, using motorcycles to transport injured soldiers to nearby clinics,. Among the identified deceased were several high-ranking crew members, including a Lieutenant Colonel and a Major. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-world-between-us--6886561/support.
