BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA — A military transport plane with 121 people on board, mostly soldiers, crashed shortly after taking off Monday in Puerto Leguízamo, Colombia, killing at least 33 people and leaving at least 81 injured, according to the town’s deputy mayor.

Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said on X that the plane that crashed Monday was transporting troops to another city in Putumayo.

The air force said in a statement that at least 77 people were rescued from the crash site with injuries.

The air force said that 121 people were on board the Hercules C-130 plane, including 110 soldiers and 11 crew members.

Erich Saumeth, a Colombian aviation expert and military analyst, said that the Hercules C-130 that crashed on Monday had been donated by the United States to Colombia in 2020. Three years later, it went through a detailed revision known as an overhaul, in which its engine was inspected and key components were replaced.

Story Date: March 24, 2026