20 killed, 30 injured after Bolivian Air Force plane, carrying new bank notes, crashes in El Alto

The aircraft was carrying new banknotes from the Bolivia's central bank when it crashed onto a busy avenue amid inclement weather in El Alto.

Updated on: Feb 28, 2026, 11:07:52 IST

Edited by Aryan Mudgal

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At least 20 people were killed and 30 others injured after a Bolivian Air Force Hercules aircraft crashed on Friday in El Alto, a city near Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, according to local media reports.

The military aircraft had left from the city of Santa Cruz and crashed after landing and skidding off the runway onto a neighboring avenue, according to local authorities. The aircraft was carrying new banknotes from the Bolivia's central bank when it crashed onto a busy avenue amid inclement weather in El Alto. Several vehicles along the avenue, where the a Bolivian Air Force aircraft crashed , were also damaged.

The crash led to the El Alto International Airport being temporarily shut , national airline Boliviana de Aviacion said, Reuters reported. The national airline also said that the crashed aircraft did not belong to its fleet.

While the exact cause of the crash is yet to be ascertained, treacherous weather is believed to have caused the crash. Eyewitnesses were quoted by AFP saying that there was lightning and heavy hailstorm when the plane went down.

Colonel Pavel Tovar of the National Fire Department said that “between 15 and 16 (dead) people have been counted”, AFP reported.

The Bolivian Air Navigation and Airports authority NAABOL in its statement that the C-130 had left from the eastern city of Santa Cruz and crashed while landing at the international airport. The aircraft was carrying cash, which scattered upon impact. Videos broadcast by the local media showed people crushing to the crash site to collect the cash as police used tear gas to disperse them.

In response, the Ministry of Defense said that “the money transported in the crashed aircraft has no official serial number...therefore it has no legal or purchasing power", adding that "its collection, possession, or use constitutes a crime."

With inputs from agencies

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aryan Mudgal
Aryan Mudgal is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly three years of experience. He is part of the digital news team at HT and enjoys covering day-to-day news and writing long, detailed explainers on key national and global affairs. He takes particular interest in reading and writing about Indian politics, crime, civic issues, as well as global affairs. He goes berserk when covering elections, especially Lok Sabha and assembly polls, and always looks out for fresh stories that could intrigue readers. At Hindustan Times, Aryan has covered various major events, including the Bihar assembly elections, Maharashtra civic polls, the US' military action in Venezuela, Union Budget, and Bangladesh elections. He has previously worked with the explainers team at Firstpost and the news desk at Times Network, covering a range of events including the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Israel–Hamas war, Russia-Ukraine war, Bangladesh’s student protests and Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, Delhi assembly elections, and more. He completed his bachelor’s degree in CEP (Communications & Media, English, and Psychology) from Christ University, Bengaluru, and later pursued a postgraduate diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). He hails from Siliguri in West Bengal and enjoys reading about politics and day-to-day issues concerning the state. Outside of work, Aryan loves listening to music and enjoys rewatching his favourite comfort shows.Read More

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