Military Plane Crash in Bolivia Kills at Least 11
At least 11 people have died after a Bolivian Air Force cargo aircraft crashed in the western city of El Alto on Friday evening, BBC reports.
Aviation officials said the incident occurred around 18:15 local time as the aircraft approached El Alto International Airport following a flight from Santa Cruz. The plane reportedly veered off the runway and collided with several nearby vehicles.
Bolivia’s defence ministry later confirmed that the aircraft involved was a Lockheed C‑130 Hercules belonging to the country’s air force. Officials said it had been transporting banknotes intended for the Central Bank of Bolivia. Authorities did not immediately disclose how many people were on board or confirm an official casualty toll.
Injuries and chaos at crash site
Firefighters at the scene reported that at least 20 people were injured. Videos circulating online showed the damaged aircraft and wrecked vehicles, as well as emergency services responding to the crash.
Police deployed tear gas after crowds reportedly gathered at the site attempting to collect scattered banknotes from the aircraft. Footage showed officers forming lines with shields while some people in the crowd threw stones.
Bolivian Defence Minister Marcelo Salinas warned that the banknotes had no legal value.
«I want to make it clear to those who are trying to take money from the plane involved in this tragedy that this money has no legal value since it has not been issued by the Central Bank and does not have a serial number, and that attempting to use this money is a crime,» he said.
He also urged people to stop acts of vandalism and respect the victims of the disaster.
Witnesses describe severe weather
Witnesses said the crash occurred during dangerous weather conditions. One woman whose vehicle was struck by debris told reporters that heavy hail and lightning were present when the aircraft went down.
Another resident told Reuters his sister had been inside a car when the aircraft crashed.
«The plane’s tire fell on the car, and my sister was injured because the impact of the tire hit her on the head, so we rushed her to the hospital,» he said.
Authorities temporarily closed the airport following the crash. Investigators are now examining the circumstances of the accident, though the cause has not yet been determined.
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