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At least 66 killed after Colombian military plane crashes in southern Amazon
Tiago Rogero in Bogotá and agencies
Transport plane carrying soldiers and crew
crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Leguízamo, deep in Colombia’s southern Amazon region
A Colombian military transport plane with 121 people on board, mostly soldiers, crashed shortly after takeoff in the country’s south, killing at least 66 people, 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.
Images shared online by Colombian media outlets showed a black cloud of smoke rising from a field where the plane crashed and a truck with soldiers rushing to the site.
The air force said in a statement that at least 77 people were rescued from the crash site with injuries. A spokesman from the defence ministry said that officials are still investigating the final number of fatalities.
Media outlets shared videos of soldiers being rushed from the site on motorcycles driven by local residents, while another group of residents tried to put out the fire that the plane crash had created in a field surrounded by dense foliage.
Carlos Fernando Silva, the commander of Colombia’s air force, said details of the crash were not yet known, “except that the plane had a problem and went down about two kilometres from the airport”.
Gustavo Petro, the Colombian president, described the crash as a “horrific accident that should never have happened”.
In a lengthy post, apparently attempting to pre-empt potential criticism, Petro said he had been trying to renew the military fleet for years but has been hindered by “bureaucratic difficulties”.
“If the civil or military administrative officials are not up to this challenge, they must be removed,” said Petro.
The leading candidates for the Colombian presidency – the first round of which will take place in late May, when Petro will not run as there is no re-election – also posted messages mourning the tragedy and calling for investigations into its causes.
Sánchez said rescue teams had been sent to the site of the crash and that the cause of the accident still had not been determined. Officials said two planes, with 74 beds, had been sent to the area to fly the injured back to hospitals in the capital, Bogota, and elsewhere.
“This event is profoundly painful for the country,” Sánchez wrote. “We hope that our prayers can help to relieve some of the pain.”
Sánchez later said: “The aircraft was in airworthy condition and the crew was duly qualified.”
The minister added that, while the causes are still under investigation, it is already possible to rule out that the crash was caused by an attack from any of the numerous armed groups that plague Colombia.
A spokesperson for Lockheed Martin said the company was committed to helping Colombia as it investigates the incident.
Hercules C-130 planes were first launched in the 1950s and Colombia acquired its first models in the late 1960s. It has more recently modernised some older C-130s with newer models sent from the US under a provision that allows for the transfer of used or surplus military equipment. Hercules C-130s are frequently used in Colombia to transport troops as part of the military’s operations amid a six-decade-long internal conflict that has claimed more than 450,000 lives.
The tail number of the plane that crashed on Monday matches that of the first of three planes delivered by the US to Colombia in recent years.
At the end of February, another Hercules C-130 belonging to the Bolivian air force crashed in the populous city of El Alto, barely missing a residential block, killing more than 20 people and injuring another 30.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/23/colombia-military-plane-crash
No survivors after helicopter crashes into building in Boynton Beach, police say
The crash happened near the 3800 block of South Congress Avenue in the area of the Monterey Community, Boynton Beach Police officials said.
By Brian Hamacher
Two people were believed to be dead after a
helicopter crashed into a warehouse in Boynton Beach on Monday, officials said.
The crash happened at a vacant warehouse near the 3800 block of South Congress Avenue in the area of the Monterey Community, Boynton Beach Police officials said.
Federal Aviation Administration officials said the helicopter a Robinson R44, crashed into a building around 12:30 p.m.
Two people were on board, and police said there
were no survivors. The identities of the people who died weren't released.
Aerial footage from Chopper 6 showed the wreckage of the helicopter sticking out of the roof of the large warehouse.
"This was no fire, no smoke, usually you can see it from far away, we actually got dispatched to the next neighborhood over, and we had to come and search and find it, it only took us a couple minutes to re-route," Boynton Beach Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Matt Oxendine said. "No smoke, no flames, no fire, not much fuel spilled."
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash.
Motorists were advised to avoid the area. No other details were immediately known.
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/police-fire-rescue-respond-to-helicopter-crash-in-boynton-beach/3784995/
A China Eastern Airlines flight from Beijing to Shanghai caught fire after landing at Hongqiao Airport last night! The crew quickly extinguished the fire, and multiple fire trucks were on standby at the scene. Netizens commented: "I could smell burning."
Shangguan News
On the evening of March 22, Some passengers
posted photos on social media. China Eastern Airlines flight MU5128 after landing at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, a fire broke out inside the cabin.
The crew quickly extinguished the fire.
The photos posted by the passenger show several fire trucks parked outside the aircraft. A search on the flight tracking app "Flightradar24" shows that flight MU5128 departed Beijing Capital International Airport at 21:03 last night and landed at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at 22:41.
A netizen posted on social media that night: " Tonight, on flight MU5128 from Beijing Capital to Shanghai Hongqiao, in business class, less than a minute after landing and taxiing, I suddenly smelled a pungent odor behind me. Then I heard a passenger behind me shout that there was a fire. To be fair, the crew responded very quickly. Within seconds, they came with fire extinguishers and water to put out the fire and quickly extinguished the source of the fire. The cause of the fire is still unknown."
Footage from the scene shows that after the plane came to a complete stop, airport fire and emergency vehicles quickly arrived at the scene to conduct a search and inspection, and multiple fire trucks were seen standing by around the fuselage. Some passengers said that the malfunction was suspected to have been caused by their mobile phones being squeezed or being charged at the time of the incident, and the burning smell in the cabin had not yet dissipated when they disembarked.
The crew handled the situation promptly and appropriately; no injuries were reported, and all passengers have disembarked safely. As of press time, China Eastern Airlines has not yet released an official statement, and the specific cause and details are still under investigation.
What we know about the LaGuardia plane and fire truck crash
The pilots, who were both killed, have been credited with saving the lives of the 72 passengers on the plane late Sunday night, by quickly braking and minimizing the impact.
By Patrick Smith and Rebecca Cohen
The two pilots killed in the collision between a
passenger jet and a Port Authority fire truck at New York's LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night have been named as Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther.
The pair have yet to be officially named by authorities, but Canadian news reports and a former college of one of the pilots confirmed the deaths. Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia confirmed Monday that they had died and were based in Canada.
The Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and other agencies are investigating the crash. They will seek to determine how the truck was able to cut across the jet’s path moments after it landed.
Here's what we know about the fatal crash.
The two pilots who were killed saved lives
The pilots, who were killed, have been credited with saving the lives of the 72 passengers and the two surviving crew members on the plane Sunday night, by quickly braking and minimizing the impact as it crashed into the truck while landing at LGA.
More than 40 people were taken for treatment for mostly minor injuries and most were soon released, although some remain hospitalized with serious injuries.
Forest was widely named in Canadian news media, and a family member who asked to remain anonymous confirmed his death to NBC News.
A LinkedIn profile bearing his name lists him as a pilot based in the Greater Montreal area working for Jazz Aviation, the company that operated Flight 8646 on behalf of Air Canada.
Forest's hometown, the small city of Coteau-du-Lac in southwestern Quebec, paid tribute to the pilot and offered condolences to his family, according to Canadian broadcaster TVA Nouvelles.
Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto confirmed that former student Gunther, who was the flight's first officer, died in the crash. The college said he graduated with a degree in aviation technology in 2023 and joined Jazz through a graduate scheme.
"Seneca sends our deepest condolences to Mr. Gunther’s family and friends, and to his former colleagues and professors. He will be deeply missed," Seneca said in its notice, adding that it would make counseling services available to its students.
The Port Authority Sergeants Benevolent Association said a sergeant assigned to the airport rescue firefighters detail was driving the truck and a Port Authority police officer was in the passenger’s seat. They were both injured in the collision.
“While we cannot comment on any further details pending the ongoing NTSB investigation, we extend our deepest sympathies to the families of the two pilots who were killed,” the association said in a statement.
'The loudest boom I've ever heard'
One passenger on the Jazz Aviation flight told NBC News that she was snoozing on the plane when she was awoken by a flight attendant’s announcement.
“If this flight has an emergency landing, don’t take your luggage with you. Just exit quickly,” Rebecca Liquori recalled hearing. She described a rough descent and then the crash shortly after the plane touched down.
“It was like a grinding sound. Then, a couple seconds after that, you just felt the collision,” she said. “It was like the loudest boom I’ve ever heard.”
But it still isn't exactly clear how the crash occurred.
Photos from after the crash show the plane wreck. The nose of the aircraft appeared torn off, leaving mangled parts of the front of the plane dangling toward the ground.
NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the investigation will span the aircraft's operations, examine components of the plane and the flight control system, and analyze the accident scene, air traffic control and airport operations.
Aviation experts have said investigators will examine the possibility of radio failures, failed runway crossing procedures and human error, among other factors, to determine what went wrong.
John Cox, a former airline pilot and an NBC
News aviation analyst, said the ability to move an airplane after it landed “is very limited.” He said among the things investigators will look at is how quickly the pilots tried to stop the aircraft.
“If something pulls out in front of you, you can brake hard, and that’s about all you can do,” he said. “There’s very limited steering available. There is some, but very limited.”
Rick Pelowski, a former journeyman air traffic controller and air traffic manager, said once a plane is cleared to land, the pilot expects the runway to be clear.
“There’s no question he has the priority. He owns the runway, regardless of whatever else is going on,” he said. “Once he’s cleared to land, that’s his runway.”
Air traffic control audio recordings released by LiveATC appear to show a controller giving the truck the go-ahead to cross the runway, but soon afterward, a controller says, “Truck 1, stop.” After the collision, an air traffic controller is heard on the audio saying, “I messed up.”
It was the first fatal crash at the New York airport in more than 30 years, officials said Monday.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/know-laguardia-plane-fire-truck-crash-rcna264856
NTSB Prelim: Piper PA-12
During The Takeoff They Heard A Loud Bang Right After Rotation
Location: Lockhart, TX Accident Number: CEN26LA137
Date & Time: March 7, 2026, 13:23 Local Registration: N2511M
Aircraft: Piper PA-12 Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional
On March 7, 2026, about 1323 central standard time, a Piper PA-12, N2511M, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lockhart, Texas. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that the airplane had about 25 gallons of fuel on board and the weight of the airplane was about 1,700 pounds. His student was on his last day of tailwheel endorsement training, and they were conducting two and three-point takeoff and landings. The instructor had checked the weather at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (KAUS), Austin, Texas, and noticed the winds were coming from the north. He stated winds were calm at Lockhart after looking at the windsock.
They had made a full stop landing to the south on the grassy area between runway 18 and the taxiway. After the full stop landing, the instructor estimated that they had 900-1,000 feet of runway remaining. The instructor stated the airplane routinely takes off in 700-800 feet of runway. He opted to have the student perform the takeoff from this location. During the takeoff they heard a loud bang right after rotation. The airplane “wobbled” to the right and dipped down and the instructor pulled back. They did a three-point landing but collided with a fence and a tree resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
A review of recorded winds from a privately operated weather station in Lockhart, TX, showed the wind was out of the south but shifted to the west and then the north close to the time of the accident. The wind from the north was 10-15 knots with gusts between 15-20 knots. The airplane was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-A2B engine, tundra tires, and a Sensenich propeller.
The airplane was also equipped with two video cameras. One mounted on the right wing looking towards the cockpit and one mounted in the upper right corner of the windscreen looking at the two pilots. The video provided shows the landing before the accident and the takeoff accident itself. The video was retained by the NTSB and will be reviewed in further detail.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
11 Years ago today: On 24 March 2015 Germanwings flight 9525, an Airbus A320, was intentionally crashed in a mountainous area in southern France by the first officer. All 144 passengers and six crew members were killed.
| Date: | Tuesday 24 March 2015 |
| Time: | 10:41 |
| Type: | Airbus A320-211 |
| Owner/operator: | Germanwings |
| Registration: | D-AIPX |
| MSN: | 147 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1990 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 58313 hours |
| Cycles: | 46748 flights |
| Engine model: | CFMI CFM56-5A1 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 150 / Occupants: 150 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Unlawful Interference |
| Location: | Prads-Haute-Bléone - France |
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport (BCN/LEBL) |
| Destination airport: | Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS/EDDL) |
| Investigating agency: | BEA |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
Germanwings flight 9525, an Airbus A320, was intentionally crashed in a mountainous area in southern France by the first officer. All 144 passengers and six crew members were killed.
Flight 4U9525 departed Barcelona, Spain at 10:00 hours local time (09:00 UTC) on a regular passenger service to Düsseldorf, Germany. The flight reached its cruising altitude of FL380 at 10:27 hours. At 10:30 hours the flight was cleared direct to the IRMAR waypoint, which was confirmed by the flight: "Direct IRMAR, Merci 18G." This was the last radio contact with the flight.
At 10:30:08, the captain told the co-pilot that he was leaving the cockpit and asked him to take over radio communications, which the co-pilot acknowledged.
At 10:30:53, the selected altitude on the Flight Control Unit (FCU) changed in from 38,000 ft to 100 ft. One second later, the autopilot changed to OPEN DES mode and autothrust changed to THR IDLE mode. The airplane started to descend and both engines' speed decreased.
At 10:33:12, the speed management changed from managed mode to selected mode. One second later, the selected target speed became 308 kt while the aeroplane's speed was 273 kt. The aeroplane's speed started to increase along with the descent rate, which subsequently varied between 1,700 ft/min and 5,000 ft/min, then was on average about 3,500 ft/min.
The selected speed decreased to 288 kt. Then, over the following 13 seconds, the value of this target speed changed six times until it reached 302 kt.
At 10:33:47, the controller asked the flight crew what cruise level they were cleared for. The airplane was then at an altitude of 30,000 ft in descent. There was no answer from the co-pilot. Over the following 30 seconds, the controller tried to contact the flight crew again on two occasions, without any answer.
Thereafter the selected speed increased up to 323 kt. Then the buzzer to request access to the cockpit sounded, but the copilot did not react.
Marseille control centre kept attempting to contact the flight, without any response.
The selected speed was again increased, this time to 350 kt. Meanwhile the captain attempted to call the copilot over the interphone and there were noises similar to a person knocking on the cockpit door.
At the same time Marseille control and a controller from the French Air Defence system called the flight at various frequencies, without success.
As the aircraft kept descending noises similar to violent blows on the cockpit door were recorded on five occasions between 10:39:30 and 10:40:28.
The GPWS then sounded: "Terrain, Terrain, Pull Up, Pull Up" until the aircraft impacted a sloping rocky ravine in mountainous terrain at an elevation of 1550 meters.
Causes:
The collision with the ground was due to the deliberate and planned action of the co-pilot who decided to commit suicide while alone in the cockpit. The process for medical certification of pilots, in particular self-reporting in case of decrease in medical fitness between two periodic medical evaluations, did not succeed in preventing the co-pilot, who was experiencing mental disorder with psychotic symptoms, from exercising the privilege of his licence.
The following factors may have contributed to the failure of this principle:
- the co-pilot's probable fear of losing his ability to fly as a professional pilot if he had reported his decrease in medical fitness to an AME;
- the potential financial consequences generated by the lack of specific insurance covering the risks of loss of income in case of unfitness to fly;
- the lack of clear guidelines in German regulations on when a threat to public safety outweighs the requirements of medical confidentiality.
Security requirements led to cockpit doors designed to resist forcible intrusion by unauthorized persons. This made it impossible to enter the flight compartment before the aircraft impacted the terrain in the French Alps.
METAR:
08:30 UTC / 09:30 local time:
LEBL 240830Z 05012KT 9000 -RA FEW020 SCT027 BKN045 12/10 Q1006 NOSIG
09:00 UTC / 10:00 local time:
LEBL 240900Z 05016KT 9999 FEW020 BKN045 12/10 Q1006 RERA NOSIG
Barcelona Airport weather during takeoff: Wind 050 degrees at 16 knots; 10+ km visibility; few clouds at 2000 feet; broken clouds at 4500 feet; 12°C; dew point 10°C; Recent moderate/heavy rain
09:30 UTC / 10:30 local time:
LFML 240930Z 24006KT CAVOK 15/09 Q1008 NOSIG
Marseille Airport weather: wind 240 degrees at 6 knots; 15°C, dew point 9°; CAVOK
09:30 UTC / 10:30 local time:
LEBL 240930Z 05015KT 8000 -RA FEW020 BKN045 13/11 Q1006 NOSIG
10:00 UTC / 11:00 local time:
LFML 241000Z 27005KT 9999 FEW033 BKN210 16/08 Q1008 NOSIG
