India, March 23 -- A military transport aircraft belonging to the Colombian Air Force crashed shortly after takeoff on Monday, raising fears of significant casualties, media reports said.

Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed "deep sorrow" as he confirmed that a Hercules aircraft went down near Puerto Leguizamo, close to the country's southern border with Ecuador.

The Hercules transport plane is typically capable of carrying around 100 personnel, fuelling concerns over the scale of the tragedy.

Calling it "a deeply painful event for the country," the minister added, "May our prayers bring some measure of comfort."

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, while rescue and recovery efforts remain underw...