C-130 crash near La Paz — banknotes scattered across the field
What happened
A Bolivian Air Force Hercules C-130 carrying newly printed banknotes ran off the runway at El Alto airport and slammed into a field on the edge of La Paz. Flames quickly engulfed parts of the fuselage. Firefighters fought a large blaze while photos and videos shared online — some verified by local authorities — show wreckage, damaged cars and sheets of cash blowing across farmland and a nearby highway. Officials report at least 15 people killed and dozens more hurt. Debris from the impact also smashed into about a dozen civilian vehicles. The scene turned chaotic when crowds rushed in to grab the scattered bills, forcing security forces to intervene and restore order.
What investigators have found so far
Rescue teams and forensic units have methodically documented the site. Emergency logs, authenticated images and video footage show the aircraft’s body badly burned and currency littering both the crash zone and the roadside. First responders treated multiple casualties at the scene and moved the injured to hospitals in La Paz. Investigators say photographic evidence and footprints indicate large numbers of civilians entered the debris field within minutes of the impact, which slowed rescue work and complicated evidence collection. Authorities