48 people survived the plane crash in Colombia
Search and rescue operations are ongoing in Colombia at the crash site of a Hercules military transport aircraft, which had 125 people on board.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro reported this on social media platform X.
The plane crashed during takeoff in the city of Puerto Legisamo near the border with Ecuador. Air Force Commander Carlos Fernando Silva reported that as of the evening of March 23, 2026, at least 48 people had been found alive. Rescue operations at the crash site are ongoing; the exact number of fatalities and injuries among the 114 passengers and 11 crew members is currently being determined.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro linked the plane crash to the technical condition of the air fleet and criticized the use of “Russian helicopters, which are currently banned.” He stated that the country’s armed forces have been losing their combat capability over the past fifteen years, which is why a decision was made to immediately and fully modernize the military’s arsenal. The head of state has already issued an order to purchase new aircraft and helicopters to replace equipment from Russia and other obsolete models.
According to the president, new military procurements must be made with maximum benefit for domestic industry and agriculture. Gustavo Petro also warned of personnel decisions and the dismissal of officials who are unable to cope with the task of rapidly rearming the army. While the investigation into the causes of the plane crash is ongoing, the Colombian police and rescue services are securing the incident site in the department of Putumayo.
A Colombian Air Force Hercules transport plane crashed immediately after taking off from the airport in Puerto Legisamo on March 23, 2026. There were over 100 people on board the aircraft, most of whom were military personnel.
As a reminder, a Hercules C-130 crash in Bolivia claimed at least 15 lives.
A military helicopter also crashed in Qatari territorial waters.
Late in the evening on March 22, a major plane crash involving an Air Canada passenger jet and a fire truck occurred at LaGuardia Airport.
