LA PAZ, Bolivia — The dying toll rose to 22 on Saturday from the crash of a navy aircraft carrying 18 tons of recent banknotes a day earlier close to Bolivia’s capital, damaging a couple of dozen autos and scattering payments on the bottom, a police commander mentioned Saturday.
One other 29 individuals had been injured, principally passengers touring on public transportation the place the aircraft crashed. Among the many lifeless are 12 males, together with one crew member, six girls and 4 kids, police commander Mirko Sokol mentioned.
Forensic investigators had been nonetheless recovering stays from the wreckage Saturday. The injured had been taken to clinics within the metropolis of El Alto, close to La Paz, the place the airport is positioned.
Protection Minister Marcelo Salinas mentioned Friday that the Hercules C-130 aircraft was transporting newly printed Bolivian foreign money from the jap metropolis of Santa Cruz when it “landed and veered off the runway” at an airport in El Alto, a metropolis adjoining to La Paz, earlier than ending up in a close-by area. Firefighters managed to place out the flames that engulfed the plane.
Photos on social media confirmed particles from the plane, destroyed vehicles and our bodies scattered on the highway. In keeping with fireplace chief, Pavel Tovar, at the least 15 autos had been broken.
The aircraft belonging to the Bolivian air pressure, was transporting cash to La Paz and pictures on social media confirmed individuals speeding to gather the payments scattered on the crash website, whereas greater than 500 troopers and 100 law enforcement officials tried to disperse them, in response to official reviews.
To keep away from extra looting, police and navy personnel burned the money bins within the presence of Central Financial institution President David Espinoza, who mentioned the payments “haven’t any authorized worth as a result of they by no means entered circulation,” with out clarifying.
Espinoza didn’t specify the sum of money being transported, however he mentioned the banknotes had arrived in Santa Cruz from overseas.
