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By: BBC
At least 34 people have died after a Colombian Air Force plane carrying 125 people crashed on Monday in the Puerto Leguízamo area, Putumayo region, in the south of the country near the Peruvian border.
According to Air Force Commander Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda, there were 114 passengers, mostly military personnel, and 11 crew members on board the C-130 Hercules aircraft at the time of the accident.
The mayor of Puerto Leguízamo, Luis Emilio Bustos, told Reuters that at least 34 people had died, a number also confirmed by two military sources. The governor of Putumayo province, Jhon Gabriel Molina, also confirmed the toll.
However, while authorities await official figures, a military source told BBC Mundo that the latest report suggests the death toll could reach 44, and that number could rise.
Before the release of the new figures, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said that 83 young soldiers were still alive at the time.
Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said the plane crashed shortly after takeoff, falling about 1.5 kilometers from the airport it had taken off from.
He added that several injured people have been taken to hospital for treatment, and that full information about the injured and the fatalities will be released once it is officially confirmed.
Initially, the minister confirmed that all procedures to assist the victims and their families have been initiated, including an investigation into the cause of the accident.
