At Least 20 Killed in Bolivian Air Force Plane Crash in El Alto

AP

A military police stands next to a plane that crashed in El Alto, Bolivia.

At least 20 people have been killed and several others injured after a Bolivian Air Force cargo aircraft crashed in the western city of El Alto, authorities have confirmed.

The incident occurred at 18:15 local time (22:15 GMT) on Friday as the aircraft was approaching El Alto International Airport from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, aviation officials said. According to initial reports, the plane skidded off the runway and collided with nearby vehicles.

The Ministry of Defense of Bolivia later confirmed that a Lockheed C-130 Hercules was involved in the crash. The aircraft had been transporting banknotes to the Central Bank of Bolivia. The Air Force commander said there were eight people on board.

Police deployed tear gas to disperse crowds reportedly attempting to seize banknotes scattered at the crash site.

Earlier, firefighters had reported a death toll of at least 15, though that figure has since risen.

Video footage circulating online showed the aircraft grounded with extensive damage, along with heavily damaged vehicles. Other clips captured scenes of chaos, with people running from tear gas as police officers formed lines with shields. Some individuals in the crowd were seen throwing stones.

"While news crews were covering the accident, individuals attempting to steal the transported money attacked the press with unusual violence," the National Association of Journalists of Bolivia said in a statement.

It said a mobile TV unit was "directly targeted", while other journalists "were attacked with stones, suffering serious injuries while carrying out their work".

The state-run Bolivian News Agency reported that at least a dozen people were arrested for stealing banknotes.

"I want to make it clear to those who are trying to take money from the plane involved in this tragedy that this money has no legal value since it has not been issued by the Central Bank and does not have a serial number, and that attempting to use this money is a crime," the Minister of Defence, Marcelo Salinas, said.

"We also ask all those who are engaging in acts of vandalism in this area to refrain from doing so and to respect the mourning and grief we are experiencing at this difficult time."

Bolivia's Air Force commander Sergio Lora confirmed there were eight crew members on board the plane "including cargo personnel and flight crew".

Bolivia's health ministry said 31 people were injured in the incident. It also issued an urgent appeal for blood donations.

El Alto International Airport was temporarily closed following the crash.

"My sister told me that she was in the car when the plane crashed. The plane's tire fell on the car, and my sister was injured because the impact of the tire hit her on the head, so we rushed her to the hospital," a man told the Reuters news agency.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, but some witnesses said the weather at the time was treacherous.

"A heavy hailstorm" was falling and "there was lightning" when the plane went down," a woman whose car was struck by the aircraft wreckage told the AFP news agency.

An investigation into the incident is under way.

Source: BBC



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