No fewer than 20 people have been confirmed dead after a Bolivian military cargo aircraft transporting banknotes crashed while attempting to land near the capital, La Paz.
The aircraft, a C-130 Hercules transport plane built by Lockheed Martin, reportedly skidded off the runway at El Alto International Airport before plunging into a busy roadway, smashing into several vehicles and damaging trucks.
Videos from the scene showed wreckage scattered across the avenue, as members of the public rushed to collect banknotes strewn around the crash site. Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, while authorities later set the recovered cash ablaze in a bonfire.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, though witnesses cited severe weather conditions. Cristina Choque, a 60-year-old vendor whose vehicle was struck by debris, said a heavy hailstorm and lightning were occurring at the time of the incident. She added that her daughter sustained a head injury when part of the aircraft, including a tyre, fell on their car.
Colonel Rene Tambo, head of the police homicide unit in El Alto, confirmed that about 20 or more people lost their lives. Earlier estimates from Colonel Pavel Tovar of the National Fire Department had placed the death toll between 15 and 16.
Bolivia’s Health Ministry reported that at least 28 others were injured in the crash. Victims were recorded both at the airport and along the avenue where the plane collided with vehicles.
The Bolivian Air Navigation and Airports Authority (NAABOL) disclosed that the aircraft had departed from Santa Cruz and crashed during its landing attempt at El Alto. Flight operations at the airport have since been suspended.
In a statement, the Defence Ministry announced a full investigation into the disaster. It also clarified that the money on board lacked official serial numbers and therefore had no legal value, warning that collecting or using it constitutes a criminal offence.
The La Paz Prosecutor’s Office revealed that 12 individuals had been detained for questioning, following reports that some businesses were targeted by criminals amid the confusion.
Hospitals in El Alto have launched emergency blood donation drives to support victims.
La Paz, located approximately 3,650 metres above sea level and surrounded by the Andes, is recognised as the world’s highest administrative capital.