A military cargo plane carrying freshly printed Bolivian currency crashed near La Paz, killing between 15 and 20 people and scattering bolivianos worth tens of millions across a highway.
The Hercules C-130 transport plane was landing at El Alto airport when it veered off the runway, careened into a nearby field, and collided with about a dozen vehicles on the highway below. The impact reportedly tore open the fuselage. Bundles of banknotes spilled across the pavement.
Locals rushed to the crash site and began grabbing bills from the ground. Police responded with tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Defence Minister Marcelo Salinas confirmed the plane was transporting newly printed currency when the pilots lost control during landing. The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Bloomberg reports the aircraft may have been carrying the equivalent of about $62 million in bolivianos, most of which scattered across the highway and surrounding area. Authorities have launched an effort to recover and destroy the bills to prevent further loss or circulation of unaccounted currency.
Aviation officials have launched an investigation. The crash has raised questions about the safety of transporting high-value cargo and may lead to reviews of maintenance and pilot training standards for military aircraft.
A military cargo plane carrying freshly printed Bolivian currency crashed near La Paz on Friday, killing at least 15 people and scattering millions of dollars across a highway in one of the country's deadliest aviation disasters in recent memory.
The Hercules C-130 transport plane was landing at El Alto airport when it veered off the runway, careened into a nearby field, and collided with about a dozen vehicles on the highway below. The impact tore open the fuselage. Bundles of banknotes spilled across the pavement.
What happened next revealed the desperation gripping parts of Bolivia. Locals rushed to the crash site and began grabbing bills from the ground. Police responded with tear gas to disperse the crowds, turning a tragedy into a scene of chaos and scavenging.
The death toll includes crew members and civilians caught in the wreckage or struck by debris. Defence Minister Marcelo Salinas confirmed the plane was transporting newly printed currency when it lost control during landing. The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The aircraft was carrying the equivalent of $62 million in local currency notes, most of which scattered across the highway and surrounding area. Authorities have launched an urgent effort to recover and destroy the bills before more can be looted or enter the black market.
Bolivia has grounded domestic flights pending an investigation into the crash. The decision affects thousands of passengers relying on air travel within the country and puts immediate pressure on the aviation industry to demonstrate safety improvements.
The crash has exposed vulnerabilities in how Bolivia transports high-value cargo and raised questions about maintenance and pilot training standards for military aircraft. For travelers and the families of the 15 dead, the next paycheck for many depends on when flights resume and the economy can move forward.
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