Bolivia Military Plane Crash Kills 15 Near La Paz

Responders study the wreckage of a Bolivian military transport plane that crashed near La Paz and skidded off the runway on 27 February 2026.

A Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo plane carrying newly printed Bolivian banknotes crashed Friday near the capital, killing at least 15 people, injuring others, and damaging numerous vehicles, officials said.

Defence Minister Marcelo Salinas said the aircraft skidded off the runway while landing at El Alto International Airport, adjacent to La Paz, before coming to rest in a nearby field. The plane caught fire, but firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze.

Fire chief Pavel Tovar confirmed at least 15 fatalities, though it was not immediately clear whether the victims were on board the aircraft or in vehicles travelling along a nearby highway. Approximately 15 cars were reported damaged, with debris scattered across the roadway.

Bolivian Air Force General Sergio Lora said the plane was carrying six crew members and had arrived from Santa Cruz. By late Friday, two crew members remained unaccounted for.

The military aircraft was transporting newly printed currency to La Paz when the crash sent banknotes flying across the scene. Videos shared online showed crowds attempting to collect the scattered bills as police in riot gear tried to secure the area. Tovar said the presence of large crowds complicated rescue operations.

Authorities deployed more than 500 soldiers and 100 police officers to cordon off the crash site. In the presence of Central Bank President David Espinoza, officials burned the cash containers, stating that the banknotes held no legal value as they had not yet entered circulation. Espinoza did not disclose the amount being transported but said the currency had recently arrived in Santa Cruz from abroad.

Flights to and from the airport were temporarily suspended while investigators began examining the cause of the crash.