15 killed as military aircraft carrying cash crashes in Bolivia

At least 15 people were killed on Friday when a Bolivian military cargo plane carrying banknotes crashed while attempting to land near the capital, La Paz, authorities said, as police moved to stop bystanders from collecting scattered cash.

The aircraft, a C-130 Hercules transport plane, skidded off the runway at El Alto International Airport and ploughed into a nearby avenue, destroying several cars and damaging trucks, footage from local media showed.

Twisted debris from the plane lay strewn across the road, while crowds rushed to grab loose banknotes. Police used tear gas to disperse those attempting to approach the wreckage.

Authorities later burned the recovered cash in a bonfire at the crash site.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known, though witnesses described severe weather at the time. “A heavy hailstorm” accompanied by lightning struck as the plane went down, said Cristina Choque, a 60-year-old vendor whose car was hit by falling debris.

“The tire is what fell on top of us… my daughter is injured, she has a head wound,” she told AFP.

Bolivia’s Defense Ministry said it would open an investigation into the incident.

Colonel Pavel Tovar of the National Fire Department told reporters that between 15 and 16 people had been confirmed dead. “We are recovering the bodies of these people who have sadly suffered in the accident,” he said.

The Health Ministry reported at least 28 people were injured.

Fatalities occurred both at the airport and along the busy avenue where the aircraft struck multiple vehicles.

In a statement, the Bolivian Air Navigation and Airports authority, NAABOL, said the C-130 had departed from the eastern city of Santa Cruz before crashing during its landing at El Alto, prompting the suspension of airport operations.

The C-130 Hercules — manufactured by Lockheed Martin — was transporting Bolivian banknotes that spilled across the crash site upon impact.

Video footage showed officers firing tear gas to prevent people from gathering the scattered money.

The Defense Ministry said the banknotes on board did not carry official serial numbers and therefore had no legal or purchasing value. It warned that collecting, possessing or using the cash would constitute a crime.

Choque and her family remained inside their damaged vehicle, fearing looting amid the chaos.

The La Paz Prosecutor’s Office reported incidents of businesses being looted as criminals exploited the disorder. Prosecutor Luis Carlos Torres said 12 people had been detained for questioning.

Operations at El Alto International Airport — Bolivia’s second-busiest airport — were suspended, and hospitals in El Alto launched blood donation drives to treat the injured.

La Paz, situated at 3,650 metres (11,975 feet) above sea level and surrounded by Andean peaks, is the world’s highest administrative capital.