The air tragedy that occurred this Monday in southern Colombia has now left 66 confirmed deaths, in one of the worst recent accidents in the country’s military aviation. 

The incident involved a Hercules C-130 aircraft of the Air Force carrying more than a hundred military personnel, which crashed to the ground just minutes after taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, in the department of Putumayo.

The figures, which increased throughout the day as rescue operations progressed, reflect the magnitude of the impact. Although initial reports spoke of dozens of victims, as the hours passed, authorities confirmed a much more serious toll, with dozens dead and dozens injured, several of them in critical condition.

Colombia confirms 66 deaths in military plane crash

The latest toll puts the number of military personnel killed at 66 following the Hercules aircraft accident, which had 125 people on board, including passengers and crew. 

The aircraft, a Lockheed C-130H, crashed in a jungle area just a few kilometers from the airport it had departed from, and was virtually destroyed after the impact and subsequent fire.

Rescue teams worked for hours under complex conditions to recover the victims and evacuate the injured. At least several dozen people survived with injuries of varying severity and were transferred to medical centers, some of them in other cities due to the area’s limited hospital capacity.

The emergency also mobilized military units, evacuation aircraft, and relief agencies, in an operation that highlighted both the scale of the disaster and the logistical difficulties inherent to a jungle region that is hard to access.

The accident occurred just minutes after takeoff, during the aircraft’s initial climb phase. According to preliminary reports, the aircraft lost altitude and crashed near Puerto Leguizamo, triggering an explosion and a fire that consumed much of the structure.

Authorities have, for now, ruled out the hypothesis of an external attack, in a region where illegal armed groups operate. Instead, initial lines of investigation point to a possible technical or mechanical failure, although there are still no definitive conclusions.

The crashed aircraft was part of the military transport fleet used to move troops across different regions of the country. This type of aircraft, widely used around the world, is key for logistical operations in remote areas such as the Colombian Amazon. (Colombia One)

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Flight Lt. Eranga Chamara Ekanayake, co-pilot of the Sri Lanka Air Force Bell 212 helicopter that crashed into the Gin Oya on Nov. 30, told the Marawila Magistrate’s Court that both he and the main pilot detected a technical fault before the aircraft went down.

The helicopter was conducting relief operations for flood-affected communities when it crashed in Lunuwila, Wennappuwa, killing the main pilot, Wing Cmdr. Nirmal Siyambalapitiya, 41.

Testifying during a court inquiry on Tuesday, Ekanayake said the aircraft departed from Katunayake Air Force Base around 5 p.m. to deliver dry rations. While flying over Wennappuwa, the crew identified people signalling for aid near the Gin Oya bridge.

Due to crowds and nearby power lines, they were unable to land and instead dropped an aid parcel from the air, he said.

Ekanayake said that while searching for a suitable landing site, both pilots noticed a possible technical issue. As Wing Cmdr. Siyambalapitiya attempted to control the aircraft, it suddenly crashed into the river.

The co-pilot said he and three others managed to escape and pulled the main pilot from the wreckage before transporting him to Marawila Base Hospital.

Magistrate Dinidu Samarasinghe ordered that investigations continue formally and the case to be called at a later date. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) says a board of inquiry has been appointed and an investigation has been initiated into the emergency landing of a Bell 212 helicopter near the Lunuwila Bridge.

Issuing a statement, the SLAF said the inquiry has been launched under the directives of the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe. 

The probe comes after a SLAF Bell 212 helicopter, which had been engaged in distributing dry and fresh rations to the flood-affected communities in the Lunuwila area, made an emergency landing near the Lunuwila Bridge yesterday.

Five Air Force personnel, including two pilots, were onboard at the time of the incident. With the assistance of residents in the area, all injured personnel were promptly evacuated and transferred to Maravila Base Hospital for further medical treatment.

Despite the best efforts of the medical team, the Captain Pilot, Wing Commander Nirmal Siyambalapitiya, tragically succumbed. A highly experienced helicopter pilot, he had accumulated over 3,000 flying hours during his distinguished service. 

The Co-Pilot and the other three Air Force personnel onboard have survived the incident and are currently receiving medical care. (Newswire)

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