A military cargo plane carrying newly printed banknotes crashed shortly after landing near La Paz, leaving at least 20 people dead and more than a dozen injured, authorities confirmed.
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, operated by the Bolivian Air Force, was transporting freshly minted currency on behalf of Bolivia’s central bank when it reportedly landed at El Alto International Airport and veered off the runway.
According to officials, the aircraft overshot the runway and slammed into a nearby highway, coming to rest in a mass of twisted metal and debris. The force of the impact scattered bundles of brand-new banknotes across the roadway.
Videos shared on social media showed the scale of the devastation, including wreckage strewn across the highway and damaged vehicles caught in the crash’s path. The footage also captured large crowds rushing toward the scene to collect loose cash that had spilled from the aircraft.
Security forces were deployed to control the chaos, using water jets and tear gas to disperse onlookers. Authorities said more than 500 soldiers and 100 police officers were mobilised to secure the crash site and restore order.
Emergency responders, military personnel and forensic teams worked through the debris as investigations began into the cause of the crash.
Later, police and military officials reportedly burned the recovered cash boxes in the presence of Central Bank President David Espinoza, who stated the bills “have no legal value because they never entered circulation.” He did not disclose the total amount being transported but confirmed the currency had arrived in Santa Cruz from abroad before being flown onward.
Boliviana de Aviación clarified that the aircraft involved was not part of its fleet.
Following the incident, operations at El Alto International Airport were temporarily suspended.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
