At least 15 people were killed and more than 30 injured after a military cargo plane carrying newly printed banknotes crashed near Bolivia’s capital on Friday, officials said.
The aircraft, operated by the Bolivian Air Force, skidded off the runway while landing at El Alto International Airport, near La Paz. It then veered onto a busy avenue, damaging about a dozen vehicles before stopping in a nearby field.
Fire chief Pavel Tovar confirmed the deaths but did not clarify whether the victims were on board the aircraft or on the ground. Firefighters later extinguished the flames.
The plane was transporting newly printed currency from the Central Bank of Bolivia to other cities. Banknotes were scattered across the crash site, and footage showed people rushing to collect the money. Riot police used teargas and water hoses to disperse crowds gathering at the scene.
Authorities said the aircraft had departed from Santa Cruz and crashed while landing amid poor weather conditions. Two of the six crew members were still missing as of late Friday, according to Air Force General Sergio Lora.
Debris from the aircraft, damaged vehicles and bodies were seen along the road. At least 15 vehicles were involved in the crash.
Following the incident, airport operations were temporarily suspended. The national airline Boliviana de Aviación said the aircraft involved was not part of its fleet.
The central bank later said the transported banknotes were not yet legal tender as they had not entered circulation and lacked serial numbers.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Comment
