* At least 34 dead, but toll could rise, local

authorities say

* Cause of crash under investigation

*

*

(Recasts with new, higher death toll)

By Luis Jaime Acosta, Iñigo Alexander and Sarah Morland

BOGOTA, March 23 (Reuters) - At least 34 people were

killed when a Colombian Air Force plane carrying 125 people

crashed just after takeoff deep in the country's southern Amazon

region on Monday, authorities said.

"Unfortunately, the information is of 34 deaths," Luis

Emilio Bustos, the mayor of the nearby town of Puerto Leguizamo,

told Reuters.

Jhon Gabriel Molina, governor of the Putumayo department,

said in an interview with local news outlet Caracol Noticias

that 34 were killed and 21 still to be identified.

The accident occurred as the Lockheed Martin ( LMT )-built

Hercules C-130 transport plane was taking off from Puerto

Leguizamo on the border with Peru, Defense Minister Pedro

Sanchez said earlier on X.

The plane hit the ground just one and a half kilometers (one

mile) away from where it took off, and ammunition being carried

on board detonated as a result of a fire on the aircraft, he

later said.

There was no indication of an "attack by illegal actors,"

and the plane was airworthy with a qualified crew ahead of

departure, Sanchez added.