At least 20 people were killed and more than 30 injured after a Bolivian Air Force Hercules C-130 transport plane carrying newly printed banknotes crashed while attempting to land near the capital, La Paz, authorities said.
The aircraft skidded off the runway at El Alto International Airport at about 18:15 local time on Friday as it arrived from Santa Cruz, ploughing into a nearby highway and striking vehicles before coming to a stop in a field.
Firefighters initially reported a lower death toll, but police later confirmed that at least 20 people had died.
Bolivia’s health ministry said 31 people were injured and issued an urgent appeal for blood donations.
Two of the eight crew members on board remained unaccounted for, according to Air Force Commander Sergio Lora.
The airport was temporarily closed following the crash.
Defence Minister Marcelo Salinas said the aircraft “landed and veered off the runway,” and a fire that broke out after impact was extinguished by emergency responders.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, though witnesses described severe weather at the time of the incident.
“A heavy hailstorm” was falling and “there was lightning” when the plane went down, a woman whose car was struck by wreckage told AFP.
A man told Reuters that his sister was injured when a tire from the aircraft struck her car during the crash.
Video footage showed heavily damaged vehicles and debris scattered across the roadway.
Scenes at the crash site grew chaotic as crowds gathered and some individuals attempted to collect banknotes scattered among the wreckage.
Police used tear gas and water hoses to disperse onlookers, and the government-run Bolivian News Agency reported that at least a dozen people were arrested for stealing banknotes.
The Ministry of Defence said the transported money had no official serial number and therefore no legal or purchasing power, warning that collecting or using it constitutes a crime.
The National Association of Journalists of Bolivia said individuals attempting to steal money attacked members of the press with stones, leaving some with serious injuries.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing, and the Central Bank of Bolivia was expected to provide further details regarding the aircraft’s cargo.