Military plane carrying troops crashes in Colombia: Death toll climbs to 66, many injured

The decease toll from the Colombian Air Force level clang roseate to 66, with dozens injured by Monday evening, astir doubling earlier figures, 2 subject sources told Reuters, arsenic betterment teams continued to retrieve bodies from the wreckage.

The incidental is among the deadliest accidents successful caller past for Colombia’s Air Force.The clang occurred erstwhile the Lockheed Martin-built Hercules C-130 transport craft was taking disconnected from Puerto Leguizamo, adjacent Colombia’s borderline with Peru, defence curate Pedro Sanchez said connected X.Firefighter Eduardo San Juan Callejas told Caracol that the craft is believed to person suffered an interaction adjacent the extremity of the runway during take-off.

As it descended, 1 of its wings struck a histrion earlier the craft plummeted to the ground.The clang triggered a fire, which successful crook caused explosive devices being transported onboard to detonate, further intensifying the destruction.Residents successful the distant country were the archetypal to respond, pulling survivors from the wreckage. Videos from the country showed injured soldiers being rushed on ungraded roads connected the backmost of motorcycles.

Military vehicles aboriginal reached the site, though authorities said rescue efforts were hampered by the area’s inaccessibility.Earlier, the Air Force had reported 121 radical onboard, including 110 soldiers and 11 unit members. It remains unclear what accounts for the discrepancy betwixt these figures and those cited by section authorities, arsenic investigations continue, Reuters reported.