Hail was falling and lightning was flashing over El Alto when a Bolivian Air Force Hercules came down on a busy avenue beside the airport. At least 20 people died and about 30 were injured, authorities said. The crash happened on Friday, 27 February 2026.
The C-130 had taken off from Santa Cruz in the east of the country. According to local authorities, it touched down at El Alto, skidded off the runway and ended up on the neighbouring road. It crushed at least one car and damaged trucks and other vehicles. Fatalities were recorded both at the airport and on the avenue.
Cristina Choque, a 60-year-old vendor, was in a car that the wreckage struck. “A heavy hailstorm” was falling and “there was lightning,” she told AFP. “The tyre is what fell on top of us,” she said. “My daughter is injured, she has a head wound.” Choque and her family stayed inside the wrecked vehicle because they feared the crowd outside.
Cash across the road
The plane was carrying new banknotes from Bolivia’s central bank, and the notes scattered on impact. Footage from local media showed people running to the site to pick up the money. Police used tear gas to push them back. Authorities later burned the cash in a bonfire at the scene.
The Ministry of Defense said the money had no official serial number, so it “has no legal or purchasing power.” Its collection, possession or use, the ministry added, “constitutes a crime.” The La Paz Prosecutor’s Office received reports that criminals had looted businesses in the confusion. Prosecutor Luis Carlos Torres said twelve people were arrested for questioning.
Counting the dead and hurt
The figures moved through the day. Colonel Pavel Tovar of the National Fire Department first said “between 15 and 16” bodies had been counted, then said crews were still recovering the dead. Police spokesperson Colonel Rene Tambo later put the death toll at at least 20. Bolivia’s health ministry reported at least 28 injured. Hospitals in El Alto began a blood donation drive for the wounded.
No cause has been established. The Ministry of Defense said it would open an investigation, and weather was believed to be a factor. Boliviana de Aviacion said the aircraft was not part of its fleet.
The aviation authority NAABOL said the aircraft was landing at the international airport, the country’s second most important, when it crashed. Operations there were suspended.
Sources
- 20 killed, 30 injured after Bolivian Air Force plane, carrying new bank notes, crashes in El Alto
- Plane carrying cash crashes in Bolivia leaving 20 dead
- 2026 Bolivian Air Force Lockheed C-130 crash
