The aviation disaster occurred on Friday in the city of El Alto. The plane, belonging to the country's air force, crashed on a busy road while approaching for landing. Initially, it was reported that the plane had skidded off the runway and collided with ground vehicles; however, later the Ministry of Defense clarified that it fell directly during landing.
Of the eight crew members, six survived, and one is missing.
According to authorities, the aircraft was transporting money for the Central Bank. After the disaster, local residents began to flock to the scene, eager to collect the fallen banknotes, which created additional difficulties for rescuers and medical personnel.
In response to the chaos, the police used tear gas, resulting in at least 12 people being detained for attempting to steal money.
The Central Bank of Bolivia appealed to citizens to return the stolen banknotes, emphasizing that they are not legal tender as they had not yet been put into circulation.
Amid ongoing attempts by citizens to take the money, the police began destroying the banknotes at the scene.
The head of the Central Bank, David Espinosa, noted: "These banknotes are not legal tender and are not in circulation. Therefore, we are starting their destruction."
