More than a dozen dead when military cargo plane carrying money crashes in Bolivia, local official says

A Bolivian military cargo plane carrying money crashed near Bolivia’s capital on Friday, damaging a dozen vehicles on a highway, scattering banknotes on the ground and leaving at least 15 people dead, an official said.

Pavel Tovar, local fire chief, did not clarify whether the dead were on the plane or in the cars on the road near the La Paz airport. He said there were people injured.

The aircraft hit vehicles in the city of El Alto, adjacent to La Paz, before stopping in a field, according to images circulating on social networks. There were conflicting reports about whether the plane was taking off or landing when it crashed.

Debris from the plane destroyed cars and bodies were strewn across the road. According to Tovar, at least 15 vehicles were involved. Firefighters managed to extinguish the flames that engulfed the aircraft.

The plane, a Hercules plane from the Bolivian Air Force, was carrying new Central Bank notes to other cities and a large quantity of notes scattered on the ground at the crash site.

Images circulating on social media showed people running to collect the notes while police in riot gear tried to disperse them.

Authorities temporarily suspended all flights to and from the terminal.