Colombian military plane crashes with scores of soldiers on board, officials say

Cargo plane carrying between 80 and 110 soldiers crashes shortly after takeoff in southern Amazon region

Scores of Colombian soldiers are feared dead after military transport plane crashed on takeoff in the south of the country.

The defense 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.

More details soon …