A Hercules aircraft operated by the Colombian Air Force (FAC) crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Leguízamo, in southern Colombia’s Putumayo department, in a tragedy on Monday, March 23, that left dozens of victims among members of the security forces.

According to Jhon Molina, governor of Putumayo, “58 soldiers, six members of the Air Force and two police officers were among the victims who died in the accident.” A total of 128 people were on board the aircraft. One survived unharmed, and four others remain unaccounted for.

The aircraft, a US-built C-130 Hercules used to transport troops and supplies, went down about one and a half kilometers from the airfield just minutes after takeoff.

Defense Minister, Major General (ret.) Pedro Arnulfo Sánchez, said the crash occurred as the aircraft “was taking off from Puerto Leguízamo (Putumayo, near the border with Peru and Ecuador) while transporting troops from our security forces.”

Investigation underway

The national government authorities said that, based on the information available so far, there is no evidence of an attack by illegal armed groups. According to the defense minister, “the fire triggered the detonation of part of the ammunition being transported, which explains the sounds heard in videos circulating on social media.”

The minister said that “all response protocols for the victims and their families have been activated, along with the corresponding investigation.” In a message posted on X, he added: “I extend my deepest condolences to the families of those affected and, out of respect for their grief, I urge people to avoid speculation until official information is available.”

President Gustavo Petro also addressed structural limitations within the armed forces, noting that bureaucratic processes have delayed modernization efforts. “Renewing the armed forces’ equipment has been a decision of my administration for years. Bureaucratic obstacles in military administration have prevented the approval of the Conpes/Confis (Colombia´s public policy instruments) for over a year since I requested it,” he said.

Statement from the Colombian Air Force

The Colombian Air Force (FAC) expressed its condolences following the crash. We “deeply regrets the tragic accident involving the C-130 Hercules, a loss that brings mourning to our military forces and National Police. The aircraft and its crew were in optimal condition to carry out the mission, with the professionalism that characterizes them.”

The institution added that “the pain and helplessness caused by the unexpected loss of our heroes in this tragic air accident are immense. But that pain is transformed into determination: to honor their memory and legacy with an even greater commitment to the nation, doing what we love: protecting Colombia.”

Gen. Carlos Fernando Silva of the Colombian Air Force said a technical investigation will be conducted with support from the US Air Force to determine the causes of the crash “with transparency and rigor.”

Photos courtesy of the FAC.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning yesterday tried to pass off the balloon as an “unmanned airship for research purposes that had been blown off course by bad weather,” an explanation that does not hold up considering the civil aviation protocols that are in place for such an incident.

Civilian aircraft, including balloons, blimps and zeppelins must carry radio transponders that broadcast an identification signal to both identify the aircraft and avoid collisions. Protocol is such that should an aircraft accidentally travel off course, air traffic control of the underlying countries would be contacted. The Chinese government took no such action.

The US shot the companion balloon down six miles off the mid-Atlantic coast. According to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin: “The balloon, which was being used by the PRC in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States, was brought down above U.S. territorial waters.”

Colombia’s air force issued a statement (translated here) saying:

In relation to the publications of the incursion of a balloon flying in the territory, the Colombian Air Force, is allowed to inform the public opinion:

1. 1. 1. On February 3, 2023 in the morning, the National Air Defense System detected an object above 55,000 feet, which entered Colombian airspace in the northern sector of the country, moving at an average speed of 25 knots, identifying in it, characteristics similar to those of a balloon.
      2. Through the Defense Systems, the Colombian Air Force followed the object until it left the airspace.
      3. In this way, it was possible to determine that this element did not represent a threat to national security and defense, as well as air safety.
      4. The Institution carries out the pertinent investigations and coordination with different countries and institutions, to establish the origin of the object.

Photo: By Russotp – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,

No commercial flights will operate for 2 stretches of 36 straight hours to perform runway maintenance.

The airport closure is necessary, says Airplan’s Ana Lucía Pérez Mesa, in order to perform runway maintenance and repairs, and the shutdown has been coordinated with the commercial passenger and freight carriers that use the airport.

“As part of the Airplan maintenance program, periodic measurements are undertaken to ascertain the runway pavement condition. Based on recent measurements, actions are necessary to guarantee the maximum useful life and operational safety (of the runway). After carrying out some measurements, we determined that the runway should be [repaired] in two areas in order to restore optimal conditions and extend the runway’s remaining lifespan,” said airport manager Fredy Jaramillo Giraldo.

• ·        First closing: Saturday, February 19 from 2 a.m. m. until Sunday, February 20 at 2 p.m. m. (36 hours).
• ·        Second closing: Saturday, February 26 from 2 a.m. m. until Sunday February 27 at 2 pm (36 hours).

The work to be done requires extended periods of time to guarantee quality, so will take place over two consecutive weekends for a total of 72 hours of closure.

“We are aware of the discomfort and inconvenience that these works generate in the public, so we reiterate that they are necessary to ensure safety of everyone, and together with the airlines and authorities, all options were pursued so that airport operation is impacted as little as possible,” added Giraldo.

Also read: “Bla Bla Bla!” Avianca Denounced By Colombia’s Vice President, Celebrities For Turning Its Back On Passengers

Above photo: A General Dynamics F-16 belonging to the US Air Force Thunderbirds takes off from Medellín’s International Airport  during the 2019 semi-annual F-AIR air show (photo © Loren Moss)

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President Duque spoke with South Korean President Moon Jae-In via telephone, requesting assistance with the public health crisis. Duque commented that it was “a deeply emotional call”, since Moon recalled that 70 years ago the soldiers of the Colombia Battalion were in the Korean War “helping democracy, institutions, and was the only Latin American contingent in that war”.

“He expressed to me the great admiration and gratitude that South Korea has for our country,” said the Colombian president. “I want to say that he made it very clear to me that they are going to support our country with thousands of tests, so that we can advance in rapid tests and effective tests.”

Duque noted that South Korea will also make “a kind of reinforcement in logistics to facilitate the arrival of respirators in our country, knowing that today in the world there is great competition for this type of medical tools,” and that South Korea is willing to “support our country with many utensils and implements for the health sector,” added the president.

Duque indicated that as soon as cooperation is defined, a Colombian Air Force plane will fly to Korea to bring the supplies and equipment to Colombia. The President stated that “in that conversation, I was able to express to him not only my solidarity, but also our congratulations for the way in which they have faced COVID-19.”