34 Killed, Dozens Hurt as Colombian Military Plane Crashes After Takeoff

Members of the military gather at the site of a Colombian military plane crash in Puerto Leguizamo, Putumayo, Colombia March 23, 2026. La Voz de Amazonia/Mare Rafue/Handout via REUTERS

BOGOTA—At least 34 people were killed when a Colombian Air Force plane carrying 125 people crashed just after takeoff deep in the country’s southern Amazon region on Monday, authorities said.

“Unfortunately, the information is of 34 deaths,” Luis Emilio Bustos, the mayor of the nearby town of Puerto Leguizamo, told Reuters.