El Alto Plane Crash: Police Use Tear Gas on Crowds Grabbing Cash from Wreckage
El Alto, Bolivia, February 28, 2026 — A Bolivian Air Force cargo plane crashed onto a busy highway near the capital city of La Paz on Friday evening, leaving at least 15 people dead. The incident descended into chaos as bystanders rushed the crash site to loot newly printed central bank currency that had scattered from the wreckage, significantly obstructing emergency rescue efforts.
The Chaos and Police Intervention
The C-130 Hercules transport aircraft was carrying a large shipment of newly printed Bolivian banknotes from the city of Santa Cruz. Upon impact with the highway, the cargo boxes broke apart, scattering a massive amount of bills across the roadway and surrounding fields.
According to local fire chief Pavel Tovar, hundreds of people from the densely populated area immediately rushed toward the burning wreckage to collect the spilled money. The crowd’s actions directly hindered firefighters and paramedics who were attempting to reach the victims trapped in the plane and the crushed vehicles.
To secure the site, authorities deployed more than 500 soldiers and 100 riot police. Security personnel were forced to use water cannons and tear gas to disperse the mob and establish a secure perimeter. Once the crowd was cleared, police and military personnel burned the remaining cash boxes at the site to prevent further looting.
Central Bank Declares Stolen Currency Worthless
David Espinoza, the President of the Central Bank of Bolivia, was present at the site during the recovery. He issued a public statement addressing the looted money, clarifying that the stolen bills “have no legal value because they never entered circulation.” The defense ministry also issued a warning that collecting or attempting to use the uncirculated banknotes constitutes a crime.
The Crash and Casualties
The crash occurred shortly after 6:00 PM local time during severe weather conditions involving heavy hail and lightning. The military plane had landed at El Alto International Airport when it skidded off the runway, veered through a perimeter fence, and crashed onto the adjacent, highly trafficked avenue.
The aircraft struck at least 15 civilian vehicles on the highway. Officials confirmed that at least 15 people were killed and over 30 others were injured. The fatalities include both individuals aboard the aircraft and civilians in the vehicles struck on the ground. As of late Friday, two of the plane’s six crew members remained unaccounted for.
Operations at El Alto International Airport, which sits at an altitude of over 4,000 meters, were temporarily suspended following the disaster.
