Cargo Plane Crash in Bolivia Kills At Least 15, Scattering Banknotes
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — A cargo plane carrying newly printed Bolivian currency crashed Friday near La Paz, killing at least 15 people and damaging a dozen vehicles, officials said. The Hercules C-130 aircraft, operated by the Bolivian air force, went down shortly after takeoff from El Alto International Airport, adjacent to the capital.
Defense Minister Marcelo Salinas said the plane “landed and veered off the runway” before coming to rest in a nearby field. Firefighters quickly extinguished the resulting flames. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Fire chief Pavel Tovar confirmed the death toll, but did not specify whether the victims were on board the plane or among those on the highway. At least 15 vehicles sustained damage in the incident, according to Tovar.
Images circulating on social media showed wreckage strewn across the area, alongside destroyed cars and scattered banknotes. Reports indicate that the aircraft was transporting money from Santa Cruz, a city in eastern Bolivia.
The scene quickly drew crowds attempting to collect the scattered cash, prompting a response from authorities. More than 500 soldiers and 100 police officers were deployed to disperse the crowds, according to official reports.
Central Bank President David Espinoza oversaw the burning of the recovered banknotes, stating they “have no legal value because they never entered circulation.” He did not disclose the total amount of money being transported, but confirmed the bills had arrived in Santa Cruz from abroad.
Two of the plane’s six crew members remain unaccounted for, according to Bolivian Air Force Gen. Sergio Lora.
Authorities temporarily suspended all flights to and from El Alto International Airport following the crash.
The incident underscores the challenges of air travel in Bolivia, a landlocked South American nation with a complex terrain. The Bolivian government has initiated a full investigation into the cause of the crash.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
