A military cargo plane transporting a shipment of new banknotes crashed violently on a highway near Bolivia's capital on Friday, resulting in a devastating death toll of at least 15 individuals and leaving 30 others injured, according to official statements. The aircraft, identified as a Hercules operated by the Bolivian Air Force, was on a mission to deliver freshly printed currency from the Central Bank to various cities across the nation when the disaster unfolded.
Chaotic Crash Scene and Conflicting Reports
The plane reportedly struck multiple vehicles on the road in El Alto, a city adjacent to La Paz, before ultimately coming to rest in a nearby field. Social media images captured the immediate aftermath, showing a scene of utter devastation with aircraft debris, destroyed cars, and bodies strewn across the highway. Fire Chief Pavel Tovar confirmed that at least 15 vehicles were involved in the incident, though he did not specify whether the fatalities occurred among those on the aircraft or in the vehicles struck on the ground.
Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the exact circumstances of the crash, with some sources suggesting the aircraft was in the process of taking off from La Paz's airport, while others indicate it may have been attempting to land. Authorities have temporarily suspended all flights to and from the terminal as investigations into the cause begin.
Scattered Currency Sparks Public Frenzy
In a surreal twist to the tragedy, the crash caused a large number of new banknotes to scatter across the crash site. Images and videos circulating on social media depicted chaotic scenes as local residents rushed to collect the scattered currency, with police officers in riot gear attempting to disperse the crowds and secure the area. The plane was carrying the banknotes as part of a routine distribution operation from the Central Bank, highlighting the unusual cargo involved in this fatal accident.
Firefighters responded swiftly to the scene, managing to extinguish the flames that had engulfed the aircraft following the impact. The combination of fire, debris, and the scattered money created a complex and hazardous environment for emergency responders. As the community reels from this shocking event, questions remain about the precise sequence of events that led to one of Bolivia's most dramatic and tragic aviation incidents in recent memory.
