BOGOTA: A Colombian military transport aircraft carrying 110 soldiers crashed shortly after takeoff in the southern Amazon region on Monday, with at least 71 people rescued alive according to official and media sources.

The Lockheed Martin C 130 Hercules went down near Puerto Leguizamo, close to the border with Peru. The crash occurred minutes after departure with footage showing thick smoke rising from the wreckage. Defence officials confirmed that rescue operations were immediately launched in the remote jungle area.

Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that the exact number of casualties and the cause of the accident remain under investigation. Initial reports indicated 110 soldiers were onboard, while subsequent updates confirmed that dozens were pulled from the wreckage alive.

President Gustavo Petro described the incident as a horrific accident and emphasized the need to modernize the country’s military fleet, warning against delays in addressing safety concerns.

The incident has renewed attention on ageing military aircraft in the region, as authorities continue search and recovery efforts and work to determine the cause of the crash.