Military plane crash in Bolivia kills twenty people
Fire Chief Pavel Tovar could not confirm whether victims were aboard the plane or in vehicles near La Paz airport highway.
The C-130 Hercules transport plane, a military workhorse, was on its final approach to El Alto International Airport. Onboard, alongside its crew, were stacks of banknotes—a routine transfer of cash for the Bolivian financial system. As the wheels touched the runway, something went horribly wrong. The massive aircraft veered off course, skidding violently before crashing into a busy avenue on the outskirts of La Paz.
What happened next descended into chaos.
Local media footage captured the aftermath: the crumpled fuselage of the Hercules against a backdrop of damaged trucks and at least one crushed car. First responders rushed to the scene, their sirens wailing against the thin, 4,000-meter-high air. But they were soon met with an unexpected and disturbing challenge.
The crash had torn open portions of the aircraft, scattering bundles of bolivianos across the tarmac and onto the road. The wind, biting and cold at that altitude, began to snatch at the loose bills, sending them skittering across the asphalt. For onlookers and those who arrived in the immediate aftermath, the sight of unguarded money proved an overwhelming temptation.
Within minutes, a crowd gathered. What began as horrified spectatorship quickly turned into a scramble. People darted onto the crash site, grabbing at the scattered banknotes, stuffing them into pockets, shirts, and bags. The dead and injured lay nearby, yet the glint of easy money momentarily eclipsed human tragedy.
Police arriving at the scene were forced to take drastic action. Witnesses described officers pushing back the crowd, some drawing their weapons to restore order. Tear gas canisters were fired to disperse those who refused to stop grabbing the cash. The surreal scene—rescue workers tending to the wounded while authorities fought off looters grabbing spilled money—encapsulated a moment of profound moral collapse.
At least 20 people lost their lives in the crash. Among them were crew members and civilians on the ground, caught in the path of the out-of-control aircraft. Families waited in anguish outside the airport perimeter, hoping for news of loved ones.
By evening, authorities had secured the area. Investigations into the cause of the crash would begin, and the recovered cash would be counted. But for those who witnessed the day’s events, two images would linger: the smoking wreckage of a plane that should have landed safely, and the desperate figures scrambling for money while the dead lay untouched nearby. In the thin air of El Alto, humanity had shown both its fragility and its ugliest face.