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A cargo plane crashed on a highway near Bolivia’s capital. The aircraft was reportedly carrying new banknotes for the country. The accident damaged approximately a dozen vehicles on the highway, scattering money across the ground, and resulted in at least 15 fatalities.
According to an NDTV report on Saturday (February 28), Bolivia’s fire chief, Pavel Tovar, did not specify whether the victims found on the highway near La Paz airport were occupants of the aircraft or passengers in the damaged vehicles. He did, however, confirm that a significant number of people were injured.
Images circulated on social media showed the aircraft striking vehicles in El Alto, a city adjacent to La Paz, before coming to rest in an open field. There were conflicting reports regarding whether the plane was taking off or landing at the time of the crash. Further social media photos and videos depicted people scrambling to collect the scattered banknotes, leading to near-riots over the collection of money. Police were seen actively trying to disperse these crowds.
The report indicated that aircraft debris and bodies were strewn across the road. At least 15 vehicles were also damaged. Firefighters subsequently arrived and successfully extinguished the blaze from the aircraft. The plane was identified as a Bolivian Air Force Hercules aircraft, transporting new banknotes from the central bank to various cities.