Cargo plane carrying money crashes near Bolivia’s capital, killing at least 15 people, official says

On February 27, 2026, a cargo plane crashed near La Paz, Bolivia, resulting in at least 15 fatalities. The Hercules C-130 plane, carrying newly printed Bolivian currency, crashed at an airport in El Alto, a city near the capital. According to the country's defense minister, the plane "landed and veered off the runway" before ending up in a nearby field. The crash also destroyed a car near the crash site. Military police are currently at the scene.

A Bolivian military cargo plane, a C-130 Hercules carrying banknotes, crashed near La Paz's El Alto international airport on Friday, killing at least 15 people. The plane, which had departed from Santa Cruz, skidded off the runway during landing and crashed on a highway, damaging numerous vehicles. Authorities confirmed the crash and reported that the aircraft was transporting new banknotes from the central bank, resulting in bills being scattered at the crash site. Emergency services responded to extinguish the fire and manage the scene, while police dispersed crowds attempting to collect the money. The airport suspended operations following the incident, and the cause of the crash is under investigation.

A cargo plane carrying newly printed Bolivian currency crashed near La Paz, Bolivia, on Friday, killing at least 15 people. The Hercules C-130 plane, arriving from Santa Cruz, "landed and veered off the runway" at El Alto airport before crashing into a nearby field and damaging at least 15 vehicles on a highway. The crash scattered bills across the area, prompting people to pick them up. While the cause of the crash is under investigation, two of the plane's six crew members remain missing. Authorities have not yet specified the exact number of fatalities or whether the deceased were on the plane or in the damaged vehicles.

On February 28, 2026, a Bolivian Air Force Hercules C-130 plane carrying newly printed banknotes crashed near La Paz, killing at least 20 people and injuring over 30. The plane, attempting to land at El Alto International Airport in bad weather, skidded off the runway and crashed onto a busy highway. The cause of the crash is under investigation, with reports of a heavy hailstorm and lightning at the time. Following the crash, crowds gathered at the site, with some collecting scattered banknotes, prompting authorities to use tear gas and water hoses to control the scene. The Ministry of Defence stated the banknotes had no official serial number and no legal power.