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Petro questions use of secondhand planes by Colombia’s military after deadly crash
The crash of a 1983 Hercules CJ-130 killed 69 and injured 57, raising concerns over outdated military equipment and bureaucratic delays in modernization.
- On Monday, a military Hercules CJ-130 transport plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Colombia's Putumayo province, killing 67 service members and two policemen; the Defense Ministry reported Tuesday that 57 survivors were transported to Bogota for treatment.
- The Hercules underwent a detailed overhaul in 2023, with engines inspected and key components replaced, after the United States donated the aircraft to Colombia in 2020 under a military cooperation agreement.
- Puerto Leguízamo airport features a 1.2-kilometer runway; the plane crashed less than 2 kilometers away. Aviation expert Erich Saumeth said the crash likely resulted from operational factors rather than mechanical failure, stating "I don't think this plane crashed because of a lack of good parts."
- Colombian President Gustavo Petro criticized secondhand military aircraft as a "crappy gift," citing "bureaucratic difficulties" in modernization efforts. Former Colombian President Duque countered, urging Petro to "calm down" and investigate weight and runway factors.
- Critics of Petro note a lack of execution regarding military contracts and reduced flight hours due to budget cuts. Petro demanded that officials "not up to the challenge" be removed, signaling broader friction over military readiness and accountability.
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97 Articles
Gustavo Petro insists without proof that the antiquity of Hercules C-130 caused the accident in Putumayo with 69 dead; the FAC rejects it.
Colombia investigates military plane crash that killed 69 as doctors identify victims
Forensic experts in Colombia worked Wednesday to identify the remains of 69 security forces killed in a military transport plane crash in the country’s southwest, while authorities investigated the cause of the accident.
The head of state said he will take action until he finds those responsible behind the air crash: “The list of officials and public officials who have responsibility for the acquisition of the ship’s maintenance”
Recovery efforts continue in Colombian military plane crash
The death toll continues to rise in Colombia where a military plane crashed on Monday, March 23. At least 66 are reported dead and dozens of others wounded in the worst military aviation accident in the country’s history. Our Correspondent Michelle Begue
Colombian military plane crash kills 66 and injures dozens
BOGOTÁ, Colombia — A Colombian military aircraft transporting 128 troops and crew members crashed shortly after taking off from southern Colombia on Monday morning, killing 66 people and injuring dozens of others, Colombian military officials said at a briefing.
President Gustavo Petro officialized the declaration of three days of national mourning for Colombia in response to the tragic air crash that occurred in the department of Putumayo.The decision of the Petro government has the fundamental purpose of honoring the 69 members of the Colombian armed forces who died on March 23 after registering the crash of a military plane.Gustavo Petro orders military honors for victims of the air crash in Putumayo…
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