A military aircraft conveying dozens of Colombian soldiers has crashed near the country’s southern border with Peru, officials confirmed on Monday.

The crash involved a Hercules transport plane which came down near Puerto Leguízamo in Putumayo province shortly after take-off, BBC reports.

According to Colombian military authorities, about 80 soldiers were on board the aircraft when the incident occurred.

Emergency responders have been dispatched to the area as authorities begin efforts to reach the crash site and determine the extent of the damage.

Footage circulating in local media showed a plume of smoke rising from the location, alongside images of trucks transporting soldiers towards the scene.

Colombia’s defence minister, Pedro Sánchez, addressed the incident, confirming that the aircraft encountered difficulties during departure.

He said the plane had suffered “a tragic accident while it was taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, transporting troops of our security forces”.

Sánchez added that officials were still working to establish the exact number of victims.

He described the situation as “deeply sad for the country”.

Authorities say rescue operations are ongoing, with more details expected as the situation becomes clearer.

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