A Colombian Air Force Hercules C-130 transport aircraft crashed while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo in the Putumayo department on Monday, with around 110 soldiers reported on board at the time, according to local broadcaster BluRadio.
Colombia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the accident involved a Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130. Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the crash on X, saying he was reporting “with deep sorrow” that the aircraft “suffered a tragic accident while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo (Putumayo), as it was transporting troops from our Public Force.”
Sánchez said military units had reached the crash site but added that “the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined.” Lockheed Martin had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.
The crash comes weeks after a separate Hercules C-130, operated by the Bolivian Air Force, went down in the densely populated city of Alto in late February. That accident killed more than 20 people and injured around 30 others. Banknotes from the plane’s cargo scattered across the city, triggering clashes between residents and security personnel.
Separately, at New York’s LaGuardia Airport:
Two pilots died and 32 passengers were injured Monday after an Air Canada Express CRJ-900 collided with a fire truck during landing. The plane, operated by regional partner Jazz Aviation, was arriving from Montreal carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, Reuters reported.
The fire truck was already on the runway responding to a separate incident when the collision occurred.
LaGuardia suspended all operations following the crash. Airport authorities said in an X post that the facility would “remain closed until at least 2:00pm Monday 3/23/26 to allow for a thorough investigation.” The National Transportation Safety Board is on site.
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