At least 34 dead as Colombian military plane crashes

Transport plane carrying 125 soldiers and crew crashes shortly after takeoff in southern Amazon region

At least 34 people were killed when a Colombian Air Force plane carrying 125 people crashed just after takeoff in the south of the country, authorities said.

The defence minister, Pedro Sánchez, said the accident happened as the Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130 plane was taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, deep in Colombia’s southern Amazon region, on the border with Peru, as it transported troops from the armed forces.