A Colombian Air Force plane has crashed in the south of the country, leaving at least eight people dead.
Air force commander Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda said 114 army personnel were on board, as well as 11 crew. He confirmed that 48 survivors were rescued from the wreckage and hospitalized.
Regional governor Jhon Gabriel Molina reported that more than 80 were injured in the incident that took place on Monday.
The plane, a US-made C-130 Hercules, crashed shortly after takeoff near the town of Puerto Leguízamo, in Putumayo province.
Emergency workers were seen searching through the debris for survivors.
The cause of the crash is being investigated.
Colombian Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez described the accident as deeply sad for the country, emphasizing the tragedy for the security forces that were being transported.
Images from the scene show thick smoke billowing from the crash site while locals were reported transporting injured personnel to hospitals.
In a statement, President Gustavo Petro highlighted the need to address bureaucratic delays in modernizing military equipment to prevent such incidents in the future, asserting that the lives of service members are at stake.
