Colombian Military C-130 Crashes After Takeoff Killing 66; US-Donated Aircraft Overhauled in 2023

A Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules carrying 125 personnel crashed 1.5 km after takeoff from Puerto Leguizamo near Colombia's southern border, killing at least 66 service members with four missing. Onboard ammunition detonated on impact. The aircraft was donated by the United States in 2020 and underwent a full overhaul in 2023. Colombia's defense minister stated there was no indication of an 'attack by illegal actors.' The crash is the deadliest military aviation disaster in Colombia's history.