In Bolivia, a cargo plane operated by the Bolivian Air Force crashed Friday near La Paz, a city adjacent to El Alto, killing at least 15 people and damaging vehicles along a highway, officials said. Defense Minister Marcelo Salinas said the Hercules C-130 plane, which was transporting newly printed Bolivian currency, “landed and veered off the runway” at the airport in El Alto before stopping in a nearby field.
Fire chief Pavel Tovar said at least 15 people died, but he did not say whether the fatalities were inside the aircraft or among motorists and passengers in the cars hit on the nearby highway. Salinas did not provide a death toll beyond the initial figure and said the cause of the crash was under investigation. Firefighters put out flames that engulfed the aircraft after it came to rest in the field.
Salinas said the plane was carrying money to La Paz, and social media images showed debris, damaged cars and banknotes scattered at the site. According to Tovar, at least 15 vehicles were damaged, and he said large numbers of people were gathering to collect the spilled bills. He said the crowding was hindering rescue efforts.
Bolivian Air Force Gen. Sergio Lora said two of the plane’s six crew members had not been found as of late Friday, and that the aircraft was arriving from the eastern city of Santa Cruz. Authorities moved to control the scene, with more than 500 soldiers and 100 police officers taking over the area to disperse the group collecting the cash, according to official reports.
Central Bank President David Espinoza said the banknotes “have no legal value because they never entered circulation,” adding that the bills had arrived in Santa Cruz from abroad. He did not clarify what that characterization meant in practice for people who picked up money at the crash site. Authorities also temporarily suspended all flights to and from the terminal as the investigation and emergency response continued.
As authorities assessed casualties and searched for the missing crew members, the crash raised immediate concerns about airport security and procedures for transporting cash. The investigation into how the plane left the runway, and whether factors such as weather or technical conditions contributed, was expected to be completed with input from aviation authorities and the military.