No fewer than 20 people have been confirmed dead following the crash of a Bolivian military cargo aircraft transporting banknotes near the nation’s administrative capital, La Paz, authorities said Friday.
The aircraft, a C-130 Hercules transport plane manufactured by Lockheed Martin, reportedly veered off the runway while attempting to land at El Alto International Airport.
It subsequently crashed into a busy avenue, destroying several vehicles and causing extensive damage to nearby trucks.
Dramatic footage from the scene showed mangled wreckage strewn across the roadway, as stunned bystanders scrambled to gather banknotes scattered by the impact.
Police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd and restore order, while security officials were later seen burning recovered cash at the crash site.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. However, witnesses cited severe weather conditions at the time of the incident.
Cristina Choque, a 60-year-old vendor whose vehicle was struck by debris, described the terrifying moment. “A heavy hailstorm was falling and there was lightning,” she said, adding that a tyre from the aircraft struck her car.
“My daughter is injured; she has a head wound,” she told AFP.
Colonel Rene Tambo, head of the police homicide division in El Alto, confirmed that “there are about 20, maybe a few more” casualties.
Earlier estimates from Colonel Pavel Tovar of the National Fire Department had placed the death toll between 15 and 16.
“We are recovering the bodies of these people who have sadly suffered in the accident,” Tovar stated.
Bolivia’s Health Ministry confirmed that at least 28 people sustained injuries. Fatalities were recorded both within the airport vicinity and along the avenue where the aircraft collided with multiple vehicles.
According to the Bolivian Air Navigation and Airports Authority (NAABOL), the aircraft had departed from Santa Cruz and crashed during its landing approach at El Alto. Airport operations have since been suspended.
In a statement, the Defence Ministry announced a full-scale investigation into the tragedy. The ministry further warned that the currency being transported bore no official serial numbers and therefore “has no legal or purchasing power,” stressing that its collection, possession, or use constitutes a criminal offence.
The La Paz Prosecutor’s Office confirmed reports of businesses being targeted amid the chaos, with twelve individuals arrested for questioning. Prosecutor Luis Carlos Torres said investigations are ongoing.
Hospitals in El Alto have launched an emergency blood donation drive to support the treatment of the injured.
Situated approximately 3,650 metres above sea level and surrounded by Andean peaks, La Paz remains the world’s highest administrative capital.
Credit: NaijaNews except headlineÂ
