A Colombian Air Force plane has crashed in the south of the country, near the border with Peru. Air force commander Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda confirmed that 114 passengers were on board, along with 11 crew members. So far, 48 people have been rescued from the wreckage with injuries and are currently in hospitals, but no fatalities have been confirmed yet.

The US-made C-130 Hercules was transporting troops when it went down near Puerto Leguízamo in Putumayo province. Emergency workers have been dispatched to the area to search through the wreckage and assist the injured.

Colombian Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez described the crash as a tragic accident while the plane was taking off. He acknowledged the total number of victims is still unknown but expressed deep sadness over the incident.

Images from local media depict a plume of smoke rising from the crash site, and there are reports of locals using motorbikes to transport injured soldiers to hospitals. In response to the tragedy, President Gustavo Petro expressed hopes for no fatalities and attributed the crash to bureaucratic problems that have hindered the modernization of military aircraft.

Just last month, a similar incident occurred in Bolivia, resulting in multiple fatalities.