A military transport plane carrying 128 people, most of them soldiers, crashed shortly after takeoff Monday in Puerto Leguizamo, Colombia, killing at least 66 people, injuring dozens, and leaving four missing, the head of Colombia's armed forces said.

General Hugo Alejandro López Barreto said there was no indication the crash was caused by an attack.

"Sadly, as a consequence of this tragic accident, 66 of our military elements died," he said. "At the moment, we have no information, or indications, that it was an attack by an illegal armed group."

In a video posted on social media, Deputy Mayor Carlos Claros said victims' bodies were taken to the town's morgue, while the injured were treated at its two clinics before being flown to larger cities. Puerto Leguizamo is in Putumayo, an Amazonian province bordering Ecuador and Peru.

"I want to thank the people of Puerto Leguizamo who came out to help the victims of this accident," Claros told Colombian television station RCN.

Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said on X that the aircraft had been transporting troops to another city in Putumayo, calling the crash "profoundly painful for the country."

"We hope that our prayers can help to relieve some of the pain," he wrote.

The crash also reignited debate over the military's aging equipment. President Gustavo Petro said efforts to modernize aircraft and other resources have been hindered by "bureaucratic difficulties" and suggested officials could be held accountable.

"If civilian or military administrative officials are not up to the challenge, they must be removed," Petro said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.