A shocking military transport plane crash in Bolivia's El Alto has resulted in at least 22 fatalities. The aircraft carrying significant cash reserves crashed in difficult weather conditions, causing chaos at the scene. Local authorities made the controversial decision to destroy scattered banknotes to prevent mass looting by local residents, leading to violent protests and clashes with police.
Rising Death Toll
At least 22 fatalities have been confirmed, including military crew and civilian passengers, and this number may increase.
Attempts to Loot Cash
Crowds of residents attempted to collect banknotes scattered around the wreckage, leading to police intervention.
Destruction of Money
Authorities decided to burn the cash at the crash site to prevent further riots and looting.
A tragic aviation accident in Bolivia, which occurred near El Alto Airport, has shocked the public and led to the declaration of a three-day national mourning period. The military transport plane, carrying a cargo of banknotes destined for financial institutions, crashed to the ground during a violent hailstorm. While initial reports spoke of 15 victims, the latest data confirmed by rescue services indicate at least 22 fatalities. Among the dead are crew members, military personnel, and civilian passengers, with the number of injured exceeding 20. El Alto Airport is one of the highest-altitude airports in the world (over 4,000 meters above sea level), making aviation operations in this region exceptionally technically demanding, especially during sudden weather changes. The situation at the crash site quickly spiraled out of control due to the nature of the cargo. Thousands of banknotes were scattered over a large area, attracting crowds of local residents attempting to appropriate the cash. To stop the looting, authorities decided to burn the remaining money on site. This decision met with an aggressive reaction from the crowd, which clashed with police units securing the wreckage. Officers were forced to use tear gas to maintain a security cordon around the destroyed plane. El Alto became the scene of hellish scenes, where rescue operations mixed with brutal attempts to profit from the tragedy. Bolivia has struggled with high poverty levels for years, which in situations like crashes of cash transports often leads to attempts at mass looting of public property. The country's president interrupted his duties to personally oversee the situation in La Paz and El Alto. Initial investigative hypotheses point to extreme weather phenomena as the main cause of the tragedy. Witnesses described powerful hail and numerous lightning discharges at the moment the aircraft was attempting its landing approach. The government announced the appointment of a special technical commission to examine the black boxes and assess whether there was a technical failure or if the error lay with the navigation systems in the face of anomalous weather conditions.
Perspektywy mediów: Media emphasize the desperation of residents stemming from poverty, which prompted them to attempt collecting money from the plane wreck. Conservative sources focus on the chaos and the necessity of restoring public order by the military and police.