Military plane with 125 aboard crashes in Colombia. At least 77 injured
The Washington Times22 hrs
At Least 66 Killed in Colombian Air Force C-130 Crash
Is Colombia's military aviation crisis caused by aging aircraft or bureaucratic obstruction blocking modernization?
Above: Flames and thick black smoke rise from an Air Force Hercules that crashed during takeoff on March 23, 2026. Image credit: Daniel Ortiz/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Government-critical narrative
The crash of a Colombian Air Force C-130 Hercules — killing 66 troops — exposes a military aviation crisis decades in the making. Aging aircraft subjected to grueling jungle operations without proper modernization is a recipe for disaster. This tragedy demands accountability and urgent fleet renewal before more lives are lost in preventable accidents.
Pro-government narrative
Petro has pushed for military modernization for years, but bureaucratic obstruction stalled the very fleet upgrades that could have prevented this crash. A 41-year-old C-130H shouldn't be hauling over 100 troops in remote jungle terrain when renewal plans were already approved. Officials blocking progress aren't just inefficient — they're putting soldiers' lives on the line.