Bolivia Military Cargo plane carrying newly printed currency crashes near La Paz, 15 dead

A Bolivian Air Force cargo plane carrying newly printed currency crashed on Friday near the capital, killing at least 15 people and scattering banknotes across a busy highway, authorities said.

The Hercules C-130 aircraft veered off the runway while attempting to land at an airport in El Alto , a city adjacent to La Paz , before bursting into flames and coming to rest in a nearby field. The plane had departed from Santa Cruz and was transporting newly printed Bolivian currency to the capital.

Fire chief Pavel Tovar confirmed at least 15 fatalities, though it remained unclear whether the victims were crew members or motorists on the highway below. Officials said several vehicles were destroyed and others damaged in the crash.

Defense Minister Marcelo Salinas said the cause of the accident was under investigation. Two of the plane’s six crew members were still missing late Friday.

Hundreds of people rushed to collect the scattered bills, hampering rescue efforts. More than 500 soldiers and 100 police officers were deployed to secure the area and disperse the crowd. Central Bank President David Espinoza said the recovered banknotes had no legal value as they had not yet entered circulation.

Flights to and from the airport were temporarily suspended.