LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) - A tragic incident occurred on Friday when a cargo plane, specifically a Hercules C-130 operated by the Bolivian Air Force, crashed near La Paz, Bolivia, resulting in the loss of at least 15 lives and numerous injuries. The aircraft was transporting newly printed Bolivian currency when it lost control, veered off the runway, and ultimately ended up in a field near El Alto, a city located adjacent to the capital.
The crash impacted the nearby highway, damaging approximately a dozen vehicles. Defense Minister Marcelo Salinas confirmed the details of the cargo flight and the subsequent crash. Firefighters were able to extinguish flames that engulfed the aircraft following the impact. While at least 15 fatalities have been reported, the exact number of deceased, whether from the plane or the vehicles on the highway, remains unclear, according to Fire Chief Pavel Tovar.
As the investigation into the cause of the crash continues, General Sergio Lora of the Bolivian Air Force disclosed that two of the six crew members onboard the plane were still missing as of late Friday. The plane had arrived from the eastern city of Santa Cruz, and its cargo was meant for distribution in La Paz.
Images circulating on social media demonstrated the chaotic scene, highlighting the debris from the aircraft and destroyed cars, alongside the scattered bills across the ground. The crash prompted a large crowd of people to rush to the site to collect the money that had spilled out of the cargo. This act of gathering money hindered emergency rescue operations, according to Tovar, who noted that at least 15 vehicles had sustained damage from the incident.
In response to the influx of people attempting to retrieve the currency, officials deployed more than 500 soldiers and 100 police officers to secure the area and disperse the crowd. Police and military personnel even took the extraordinary step of burning the cash boxes in front of the Central Bank President David Espinoza. He indicated that the banknotes had "no legal value" since they had never entered circulation, though he did not elaborate on the implications of this statement.
While Espinoza did not disclose the total amount of money that was being transported, he confirmed that the banknotes had arrived in Santa Cruz from abroad. Following the crash, authorities temporarily suspended all flights to and from the airport in El Alto, where the incident unfolded.
The chaotic aftermath of this aviation disaster serves as a poignant reminder of both the unpredictability of air travel and the potential consequences of such tragedies on the ground. The community is left grappling with the loss of life and the remarkable images of chaos that surrounded the crash site.
