By Staff Reporter
La Paz, Bolivia: At least 15 people were killed when a Bolivian military cargo plane carrying banknotes crashed while landing near the capital La Paz on Friday, authorities said, forcing police to disperse crowds attempting to collect scattered cash.
The aircraft, identified as a Lockheed C‑130 Hercules military transport plane, veered off the runway at El Alto International Airport and slammed into a busy avenue, destroying several vehicles and damaging trucks, according to officials and local media footage.
Colonel Pavel Tovar of Bolivia’s National Fire Department said between 15 and 16 people were confirmed dead in the crash.
“We are recovering the bodies of these people who have sadly suffered in the accident,” Tovar told reporters at the scene.
Bolivia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the incident but did not immediately provide further details. At least two dozen others were reported injured, with casualties recorded both at the airport and on the road where the aircraft struck civilian vehicles.
The Bolivian Air Navigation and Airports Authority (NAABOL) said the aircraft had departed from Santa Cruz and crashed during its landing approach. Operations at El Alto International Airport were suspended following the disaster.
Authorities said the plane was transporting Bolivian banknotes, which were scattered across the crash site on impact. Video footage showed police firing tear gas to disperse bystanders attempting to collect the cash from the wreckage.
Emergency crews and military personnel secured the area while investigators began examining the cause of the crash, which was not immediately known.
La Paz, located at about 3,650 metres above sea level, is the world’s highest administrative capital, a factor that can pose operational challenges for aircraft due to reduced air density.
