At least 20 people have been confirmed dead after a Bolivian military cargo aircraft transporting banknotes crashed while attempting to land near the capital, La Paz.
Authorities say chaos erupted at the crash scene as residents tried to cart away scattered cash.
The aircraft, a C-130 Hercules transport plane manufactured by Lockheed Martin, reportedly skidded off the runway at El Alto International Airport before ploughing into a major roadway, crushing vehicles and damaging trucks.
Eyewitness footage showed wreckage strewn across the avenue, while security operatives fired tear gas to disperse crowds attempting to seize the money.
Authorities later set the recovered cash ablaze at the site, stating it had no legal value.
The Bolivian Air Navigation and Airports Authority confirmed the plane departed from Santa Cruz and crashed while landing.
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Airport operations have since been suspended while Police officials say the death toll could rise, with dozens injured and several bodies recovered from both the airport vicinity and the roadway.
The Bolivia’s Health Ministry confirmed at least 28 people sustained injuries.
Witnesses described severe weather conditions, including heavy hail and lightning, at the time of the crash.
Also, the Ministry of Defence has launched a full investigation to determine the cause.
Prosecutors say 12 suspects have been arrested for alleged looting, warning that possession of the banknotes constitutes a criminal offence and hospitals in El Alto have initiated emergency blood donation drives as rescue and recovery efforts continue.
(Editor: Ada Ononye)
