A plane carrying cash crashed near Bolivia’s capital, resulting in the death of at least 15 individuals and causing damage to vehicles on a nearby highway, as reported by an official on Friday. Defense Minister Marcelo Salinas stated that the Hercules C-130 aircraft, which was carrying newly printed Bolivian currency, experienced difficulties during landing at an airport in El Alto, a city adjoining La Paz. The plane veered off the runway and eventually came to a stop in a nearby field, where firefighters successfully extinguished the ensuing flames.
Fire chief Pavel Tovar confirmed the loss of a minimum of 15 lives, although he did not specify whether the casualties occurred within the aircraft or among the vehicles affected on the adjacent highway. Salinas mentioned that the exact number of fatalities was under investigation, and the cause of the crash remained unknown.
Bolivian Air Force Gen. Sergio Lora disclosed that as of late Friday, two crew members out of the total six on board were still unaccounted for. The aircraft had been en route from Santa Cruz, located in the eastern region of the country.
Social media posts showcased wreckage from the aircraft, damaged vehicles, and bodies strewn along the road. Approximately 15 vehicles suffered harm in the incident, according to Tovar. The cargo plane, operated by the Bolivian air force, was transporting money destined for La Paz. Amidst the chaos, individuals were seen scavenging for bills scattered at the crash site, prompting authorities in riot gear to intervene and control the situation.
The presence of a large crowd attempting to collect the scattered money impeded rescue operations, Tovar noted. Over 500 soldiers and 100 police officers were deployed to the area to disperse the gathering. Law enforcement officers, along with military personnel, oversaw the destruction of the cash boxes in the presence of Central Bank President David Espinoza, who clarified that the bills held no legal tender as they had not entered circulation, although the exact significance of this statement was not elaborated.
Although the exact sum of money being transported was not disclosed by Espinoza, he confirmed that the banknotes had arrived in Santa Cruz from overseas. Subsequently, all flights to and from the airport terminal were temporarily halted by the authorities.