Military Plane Crash Near La Paz Kills 15

LA PAZ: (Web Desk) – At least 15 people lost their lives on Friday after a Bolivian military cargo aircraft carrying banknotes crashed during landing near La Paz, authorities confirmed. The incident triggered chaos at the crash site, with police forced to use tear gas to stop bystanders from collecting scattered cash.

The aircraft, a C-130 Hercules, skidded off the runway at El Alto International Airport and plunged into a busy avenue, smashing several cars and damaging nearby trucks, according to local media footage.

Debris from the mangled plane littered the roadway as emergency teams rushed to the scene. While the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, witnesses described extremely dangerous weather conditions at the time of landing.

Cristina Choque, a 60-year-old street vendor whose vehicle was hit by aircraft debris, told AFP that a violent hailstorm accompanied by lightning was underway when the plane went down. She said a tire from the aircraft struck her car, injuring her daughter, who sustained a head wound.

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Colonel Pavel Tovar of Bolivia’s National Fire Department said that between 15 and 16 fatalities had been confirmed, with victims found both on airport grounds and along the avenue where the aircraft crashed. Firefighters reported at least 20 people were injured.

Bolivia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the crash but did not release further operational details. The country’s air navigation authority, NAABOL, said the aircraft had departed from Santa Cruz and went down while landing, prompting the suspension of airport operations.

The plane was transporting Bolivian banknotes, which scattered across the crash site. Authorities warned that the currency carried no official serial numbers and therefore held no legal value. The Defense Ministry said collecting or possessing the money constitutes a criminal offense.

Police intervened after crowds attempted to seize the cash, while the La Paz Prosecutor’s Office reported looting incidents in nearby areas amid the disorder. Prosecutor Luis Carlos Torres said 12 people were arrested for questioning.

Hospitals in the city launched emergency blood donation drives to treat the injured. El Alto International Airport, Bolivia’s second-busiest airport, remains closed as investigations and recovery operations continue. La Paz, situated at 3,650 meters above sea level, is the world’s highest administrative capital.