Military Cargo Plane Crashes Near La Paz, Killing Fifteen People

(MENAFN) At least 15 people lost their lives and more than 30 sustained injuries after a Bolivian military transport aircraft crashed near the capital on Friday evening, authorities confirmed. The aircraft reportedly slid off the runway before crashing onto a heavily trafficked roadway in the adjacent city of El Alto.

According to officials, the incident occurred at approximately 6:20 p.m. local time (2220 GMT) as the aircraft was attempting to land at El Alto International Airport. The plane had taken off earlier from Santa Cruz, as stated by the country’s air traffic control authority.

The aircraft, identified as a Bolivian Air Force C-130 Hercules, overshot the runway and collided with several vehicles traveling along a crowded avenue. Authorities said roughly a dozen cars were damaged before the plane eventually came to a halt in a nearby field.

Emergency response teams rushed to the scene. Fire Chief Pavel Tovar indicated that officials were still working to determine whether those killed were passengers aboard the aircraft or individuals traveling on the road at the time of impact. Firefighters later managed to extinguish the flames sparked by the crash.

The plane had been transporting newly printed Bolivian banknotes, which were scattered across the roadway when the aircraft broke apart. The sight of cash strewn across the street triggered chaotic scenes, with residents rushing to gather the money. Police officers equipped with riot gear intervened to disperse the crowds, and water hoses were used to clear people away from the debris field.

The Defense Ministry did not immediately provide further operational information regarding the mission. Meanwhile, the state-run air navigation authority, NAABOL, confirmed the aircraft’s departure from Santa Cruz and stated that investigations were ongoing to determine whether the accident occurred during landing or takeoff procedures.

MENAFN28022026000045017281ID1110802241