A plane carrying currency crashed in the vicinity of Bolivia’s capital, resulting in the loss of at least 15 lives and causing injuries, as disclosed by an official. Defense Minister Marcelo Salinas reported that the Hercules C-130 aircraft, loaded with freshly printed Bolivian money, experienced an incident during landing at El Alto airport, near La Paz. Subsequently, the plane veered off the runway, leading to a fiery wreckage that was extinguished by firefighters.
Although Fire Chief Pavel Tovar confirmed the death toll at 15 individuals, clarity on whether the casualties occurred within the aircraft or among the vehicles affected on the adjacent highway was not provided. Investigations into the crash’s cause are currently underway, as stated by Salinas, who refrained from specifying the exact number of fatalities.
Bolivian Air Force General Sergio Lora mentioned that two crew members were still unaccounted for by late Friday, with the aircraft’s origin traced back to Santa Cruz in the east. Social media imagery captured debris strewn across the crash site, including damaged cars and human remains, with approximately 15 vehicles suffering harm in the aftermath.
The Bolivian air force-owned plane was en route to La Paz with the currency onboard when the incident occurred. Videos circulating on social platforms depicted individuals hastily collecting the scattered bills at the crash site, prompting intervention from law enforcement to disperse the crowds hindering rescue operations.
Reports indicated the deployment of over 500 soldiers and 100 police officers to restore order at the scene and prevent further disruptions. During the operation, police and military personnel incinerated the cash boxes under the supervision of Central Bank President David Espinoza, who clarified that the bills lacked legal tender status due to not entering circulation, without elaborating further on the matter.
Although the exact monetary value being transported was undisclosed by Espinoza, he confirmed the banknotes’ foreign origin upon arrival in Santa Cruz. Following the incident, all flight operations to and from the terminal were temporarily halted by authorities to manage the situation effectively.