Tragedy in El Alto: Military Cargo Plane Crash Kills At Least 20 as Cash Scavengers Swarm Debris

The scale of the carnage became clear in the hours following the crash on February 27, 2026. Colonel Rene Tambo, head of the police homicide division in El Alto, confirmed the rising death toll late Friday, noting that while the count stood at 20, it could potentially climb as recovery efforts continue. The wreckage was so extensive that Fire Chief Pavel Tovar was initially unable to specify how many victims were occupants of the aircraft versus civilians trapped in the cars and trucks crushed on the highway. National fire department officials described a harrowing scene where firefighters battled intense flames engulfing the fuselage while simultaneously attempting to extricate survivors from the mangled remains of local transport vehicles.

Beyond the immediate loss of life, the incident sparked a chaotic security situation as the plane’s specialized cargo—vast quantities of banknotes—was scattered across the crash site. Social media footage captured a jarring juxtaposition of tragedy and opportunism, showing bystanders rushing toward the debris to collect bills amid the smoke. The situation forced local law enforcement to deploy police in riot gear to establish a perimeter, using force to disperse crowds and protect the state assets littered among the wreckage. The security breach added a layer of complexity to an already delicate recovery operation, as investigators worked to secure the site under the gaze of a restive public.

In the wake of the disaster, aviation authorities moved swiftly to suspend all operations at El Alto International Airport, grounding flights as the investigation into the cause of the crash commenced. Conflicting eyewitness accounts have emerged regarding whether the C-130 was attempting a landing or suffered a failure during takeoff, a detail that will be central to the upcoming military and civil aviation probe. For now, the focus remains on the grim task of victim identification and the clearing of the debris that has paralyzed one of the region's most vital transit arteries.

This disaster stands as a sobering reminder of the inherent risks of low-altitude operations in densely populated urban centers, particularly at high-altitude hubs like El Alto. As the families of the deceased begin the grieving process and the injured receive treatment in local hospitals, the Bolivian government faces mounting pressure to explain how a strategic military flight resulted in such a profound civilian catastrophe. The dual tragedy of the loss of life and the subsequent civil disorder highlights a deep-seated volatility that often follows such sudden, high-stakes accidents in the heart of a nation’s capital.