A cargo plane carrying a large amount of money crashed near Bolivia’s capital city yesterday, killing at least 15 people. The accident happened close to the airport in La Paz. Fire Chief Pavel Tovar confirmed the deaths but did not clearly state whether the victims were passengers on the plane or people travelling in vehicles on the nearby highway. He also said that several others were injured.
The aircraft went down in the city of El Alto, which is located next to La Paz. Reports say the plane struck several vehicles on a busy road before crashing into an open field. The impact caused heavy damage, and debris from the aircraft was scattered across the highway. Burned and damaged cars could be seen along the road, and emergency teams worked quickly to control the situation.
According to officials, at least 15 vehicles were involved in the crash. Firefighters arrived at the scene and managed to put out the flames that had engulfed the aircraft. Rescue teams continued searching the area for survivors and assisting the injured.
The plane was identified as a Hercules aircraft belonging to the Bolivian Air Force. It was transporting newly printed banknotes from the Central Bank of Bolivia to different cities across the country. After the crash, a large number of banknotes were seen scattered around the site.
Images and videos shared on social media showed people rushing toward the crash area to collect the loose bills. Police officers in riot gear were deployed to control the crowd and prevent chaos. Authorities later suspended all flights to and from the airport terminal as a safety measure while investigations began.
Officials have launched an inquiry to determine the cause of the crash. The tragic incident has raised concerns about flight safety and the transportation of valuable cargo by air.