Nine Colombian soldiers were killed and 20 others injured when their military vehicle plunged into a ravine in southwest Colombia late Sunday. The vehicle, carrying 36 soldiers, lost control after its brakes failed, falling into a chasm approximately 100 meters (328 feet) deep, according to Narino department governor Luis Alfonso Escobar.
A video released by authorities showed rescue workers using ropes to reach the victims at the bottom of the gorge.
Those with serious injuries were airlifted to hospitals, with an army report later confirming that 20 soldiers were receiving specialized care. Initially, the death toll was reported as eight, with 16 wounded.
The soldiers were en route to Narino, a region on Colombia’s border with Ecuador, to participate in security operations against the backdrop of ongoing cocaine trafficking. Escobar clarified that the incident was not caused by an attack, despite the area’s recent uptick in violence due to the ongoing struggle among armed groups vying for control of the region.
