A Bolivian Air Force military plane crashed this Friday (27) during an attempted landing at El Alto international airport and left at least 15 people dead and six injured. The accident also affected around 15 vehicles, according to the National Fire Department.
According to the national director of the Fire Department, Colonel Pavel Tovar, in an interview with the channel Unitel“around 15 people died”, at least “six injured people were evacuated to different health centers” and approximately “15 vehicles were affected” after the plane left the airport perimeter.
An official source reported to the agency EFEthe aircraft involved was an Air Force Hercules model. According to this source, the plane landed but was unable to brake, possibly because the runway was frozen due to a hailstorm recorded earlier in El Alto. The aircraft ended up exceeding the limits of the runway, causing damage confirmed by authorities.
Witnesses who were at the scene reported, in videos posted on social media, that there were banknotes scattered around the area of the accident. The local press reported that the plane was carrying money from the Central Bank of Bolivia (BCB).
According to firefighters, several people tried to get closer to collect the scattered notes. To contain the movement, teams used water jets and, later, the police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Military personnel were also sent to support the isolation of the area. The causes of the accident are still being investigated by the Bolivian authorities.
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