The Hercules plane tragedy in Putumayo continues to reveal new details that help to better understand what happened on the morning of March 23 in Puerto Leguízamo, where a military aircraft plummeted to the ground just minutes after takeoff, leaving a death toll and dozens injured. President Gustavo Petro praised the local community's reaction to the tragedy, highlighting the role of residents in the first rescue operations. "I thank the mothers and fathers who ran to the crashed Hercules plane to save the children of others… it is a proof of love and solidarity," he added. Meanwhile, the relief operation continues with the deployment of medical resources, evacuation aircraft, and specialized personnel. The National Navy also played a key role in the immediate response. "The toll is 81 passengers affected… eight fatalities, 73 injured, and 15 in critical condition," he stated, warning that the numbers are still being updated as rescue operations progress. Regarding the incident, the head of state was clear: there are no definitive conclusions yet. The governor of Putumayo, John Gabriel Molina Acosta, confirmed the severity of the situation after a meeting at the Unified Command Post. "It was the people of Putumayo who saved them from death… they brought water and love to the boys," he said, referring to civilians who went to the crash site even before the authorities arrived. In turn, the Minister of Defense, Pedro Sánchez, was emphatic in stating that, according to preliminary information, the aircraft met all technical requirements. "The aircraft was in airworthy condition and the crew was duly qualified," the official affirmed, initially ruling out failures related to maintenance or crew preparation. As a result of the fire on board, some of the ammunition being transported by the troops detonated, which corresponds to the sounds heard in some videos," the Minister of Defense explained, providing context for the explosions registered after the impact. The victim toll remains dynamic. "We don't know the causes, we know it took off and fell in a few minutes… we have no clarity, we have focused on attending to the emergency and activating the hospital network," he stated. Petro sends a message to the families. Meanwhile, the list of the crew of the military plane that crashed in Putumayo became known, consisting of 11 members responsible for the technical operation. The tragedy of the Hercules plane accident in Putumayo continues to reveal new details that allow for a better understanding of what happened on the morning of March 23 in Puerto Leguízamo, where a military aircraft plunged to the ground just minutes after takeoff, leaving a death toll and dozens injured. "We have activated all protocols for accompaniment and support… and we ask for a responsible handling of the information," he stated. For now, the country remains attentive to the evolution of the injured military personnel, while clear answers are awaited about the causes of this air accident in Putumayo, which mourns the Public Force and leaves multiple questions about one of the most serious recent incidents in military operations in Colombia.
