Cargo Plane Carrying Currency Crashes In Bolivia, 15 Dead As Crowd Rushes To Grab Scattered Cash

Bolivia: The C-130 Hercules cargo plane of the Bolivian Air Force slipped just after takeoff, right next to El Alto Airport near La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, on Friday evening. Due to bad weather, visibility was low, the plane skidded off the runway and fell on the main highway 'Costanera Avenue'. This accident happened just seconds after takeoff.

What was loaded on the plane?

This plane was carrying a huge consignment of freshly printed banknotes from the Central Bank for delivery to several cities. As soon as the plane crashed, it caught fire, the packets burst and the notes flew in the air and scattered on the road. 10-12 vehicles nearby were completely destroyed, some of which had people trapped in them.

🚨🇧🇴 • Acaba de cair um avião militar com carga de dinheiro na Bolívia, até o momento 15 mortos. pic.twitter.com/kGV9MmbmpQ

— Bunker News 👁️ (@BunkerNewsbr) February 28, 2026

How many people lost their lives? 

According to the fire department and local police, at least 15 people were killed, including the plane's crew and civilians on the street. More than 30 are injured and were admitted to nearby hospitals. The most shocking part of the accident is that people did not care about the accident; they were collecting the money from the road instead. After the accident, smoke was rising, people were screaming, and there were injured people, but hundreds of people ran to snatch the scattered notes. Videos are circulating on social media where people are picking up currency notes amid the debris and fire. The police had to come in riot gear, using water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. It really breaks the heart to see that humanity has been left behind for a long time.

What is happening now?

El Alto Airport is temporarily closed. Bolivia's Air Force and Defense Ministry have started an investigation. The reason is not clear yet – bad weather, engine failure or something else? The report is about to come.
This is not just an accident but a big question on human thinking. It is very sad to see greed taking over even when lives are being lost. It is hoped that investigation will reveal the true reason and such accidents will be prevented in future.