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2026 Bolivian Air Force Lockheed C-130 crash

Coordinates: 16°30′46″S 68°13′0″W / 16.51278°S 68.21667°W / -16.51278; -68.21667
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2026 Bolivian Air Force Lockheed C-130 crash
FAB-81, the Lockheed C-130H Hercules involved in the accident, seen in September 2024
Accident
DateFebruary 27, 2026 (2026-02-27)
SummaryCrashed into a highway after runway excursion, under investigation
Site
Map
Total fatalities24+
Total injuries43+
Aircraft
Aircraft typeLockheed C-130H Hercules
OperatorBolivian Air Force
RegistrationFAB-81
Flight originViru Viru International Airport, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
DestinationEl Alto International Airport, El Alto, Bolivia
Occupants8
Crew8
Fatalities1
Injuries6
Missing1
Survivors6
Ground casualties
Ground fatalities23+
Ground injuries37+

On 27 February 2026, a Bolivian Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules on a domestic flight from Viru Viru International Airport, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, to El Alto International Airport, La Paz, suffered a runway excursion after landing and crashed onto a busy road, impacting 15 vehicles, killing at least 24 people, and injuring more than 43 others.[1][2]

The aircraft was carrying a large shipment of newly printed banknotes on behalf of the Central Bank of Bolivia, intended to be distributed within the national monetary system. The impact scattered large quantities of banknotes across the crash site, drawing the attention of bystanders who attempted to collect the currency.[3] Law enforcement authorities subsequently secured the area and later destroyed the banknotes to prevent their circulation.[4]

Background

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Aircraft

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The aircraft involved in the accident was a 49-year-old Lockheed C-130H Hercules, tail number FAB-81.[5]

Crew

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The crew on board the aircraft consisted of eight people:[6]

  • Alejandro Chávez Paniagua – pilot in command
  • Erick Rojas Zambrana – copilot
  • Mauricio Lazo Cordova – flight navigator
  • César Castro Nacho – sub-officer
  • Raúl Gutiérrez Limachi – loadmaster
  • Rolando Flores Saiza – loadmaster
  • José Luis Condori Tinta – loadmaster
  • Jared Ramirez Espinoza – extra crew member

Accident

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After landing, the aircraft veered off the runway, destroying the west side perimeter fence of the airport terminal. It then entered Costanera Avenue, where it hit more than a dozen vehicles, including private cars, public transport vehicles, and cargo trucks before breaking into pieces and coming to rest.[7] Witnesses at El Alto Airport said that the aircraft crashed into a high-traffic area.[8] At the time of the crash, a heavy hailstorm was reported.[2]

According to the La Paz Fire Department director and police, 24 people died and at least 37 were injured.[9][10] At least 23 people on the ground were killed, of whom 4 were children.[3][11][12][13] Of the eight crew members on board, one died in the crash, while six others survived with major injuries and were taken to hospital to receive intensive care. One crew member is missing.[6]

Aftermath

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A sign posted inside a taxi in La Paz following the accident reads: "Per statement from the BCB, Bs. 50, Bs. 20, and Bs. 10 banknotes from the B-series are not accepted."

At a press conference, the director of the Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics, José Antonio Fanola, clarified that the plane veered off the runway after landing, contradicting rumors spread on social media about the aircraft "crashing".[14] In a statement, Navegación Aérea y Aeropuertos Bolivianos (NAABOL) reported the accident and the suspension of activities at El Alto International Airport, with the terminal and other facilities closed until 21:30 on February 27 and with the possibility of extending the suspension period.

Soon after the accident, there were reports of attacks on police officers by people attempting to enter the premises after breaching the airport perimeter. The individuals involved were restrained by law enforcement officers, as they were violating restricted space and hindering rescue efforts. Additional disturbances were reported in the vicinity of the scene.[15] Images and videos on social media began circulating showing banknotes scattered across the crash site and people on the ground appearing to collect them. The growing crowd hindered rescue efforts and was later dispersed with water hoses by law enforcement authorities. A total of 15 vehicles were later confirmed to have been destroyed at the crash site, including one police vehicle and three ambulances.[16][7] More than a dozen people were later arrested for collecting banknotes. Local authorities later proceeded to incinerate the banknotes at the crash site to prevent their circulation, as they had not yet officially entered the financial system.[17]

Originally, Minister of Defence Marcelo Salinas said that the unissued notes in the crash had no serial numbers.[2] However, the Central Bank of Bolivia later suspended the legal tender status of 10, 20, and 50-boliviano notes of the 2018 series with serial numbers ending with B, from 28 February to 2 March 2026: The Central Bank had published serial numbers of notes that were recovered in the crash and declared the affected notes worthless.[18] When rescue teams left the site on 1 March, looters returned and began collecting burned banknotes, aircraft parts, and other items from the site, with some allegedly engaged in digging at the crash site for valuables.[19] Local officials warned that any attempt to enter them into the financial system would be punished in accordance with the law and the general public was advised not to use these banknotes while investigations were underway.

The Asociación de Bancos Privados de Bolivia (ASOBAN), Bolivia's national association of private bank institutions, recommended that financial entities withdraw from circulation any banknotes bearing serial numbers matching those transported in the flight. ASOBAN further advised banks to reject cash deposits containing banknotes with the identified serial numbers and encouraged the public to prioritize electronic transactions.

Responses

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President Rodrigo Paz expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in an X post.[20] Former President Jeanine Áñez expressed her sadness and offered a message of solidarity to the families who lost loved ones in the crash.[21] The Bishop of the Diocese of El Alto, Monsignor Giovani Arana, expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and survivors of the accident, urging the residents to respond with empathy and solidarity to any emergency. He said, "We cannot be indifferent to the pain of others; every life deserves support, compassion, and solidarity."[22] Various private and governmental organizations requested assistance and blood donations for survivors in critical condition. The campaign was coordinated by the La Paz Regional Reference Blood Bank Hemocenter.[23][2]

Investigation

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On the morning of February 28, the Aeronautical Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) held a press conference to report on the ongoing investigation into the crash. The AAIB stated that they were searching for the black box, which they hoped would help determine the cause of the accident. Colonel Ricardo Alarcón of the AAIB stated, "Unfortunately, when the accident occurred, the public reacted impulsively, significantly contaminating the investigation area. The damage is obvious; we are searching for the flight recorder, which is what you call the black box".[24] For the investigation, they transported the wreckage of the aircraft to a secure facility for analysis. The process was secured by personnel from the National Police and the National Army.[25]

A technical report revealed that the plane was carrying a load that was at its maximum capacity and that the company in charge of delivering the banknotes to the Central Bank of Bolivia (BCB) was behind schedule, so it was under pressure. "Due to its enormous weight and the laws of aerodynamics, it was physically impossible for this wide-body aircraft to land with that load at the altitude of El Alto (over 4,000 meters above sea level)", the report states.[26]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "More than a dozen killed when military cargo plane carrying money crashes in Bolivia, local official says - CBS News". CBS News. 27 February 2026. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d Lukiv, Jaroslav (28 February 2026). "At least 20 killed after military plane carrying banknotes crashes in Bolivia". BBC News. Archived from the original on 28 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  3. ^ a b Flores, Rosío (2 March 2026). "Sube a 24 los fallecidos en el accidente aéreo en El Alto" [The Death Toll from the Plane Crash in El Alto Rises to 24]. La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz, Bolivia. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  4. ^ "Avión cargado con dinero se estrelló en Bolivia: hay varios muertos" [Plane carrying money crashes in Bolivia: several dead]. Vanguardia (in Spanish). 28 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  5. ^ Domínguez, Raúl (28 February 2026). "Cómo era el Hércules FAB-81, el avión militar que se estrelló en El Alto". El Deber. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  6. ^ a b Chuquimia, Marco Antonio (27 February 2026). "FAB dice que hay dos tripulantes del avión siniestrado en La Paz que están desaparecidos". El Deber (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  7. ^ a b "Estas son las primeras imágenes del accidente aéreo en El Alto; hay heridos y dinero en la vía" [These are the first images of the plane crash in El Alto; there are injured people and money on the road.]. El Deber (in Spanish). 28 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Un avión de la Fuerza Aérea Boliviana se estrelló en el aeropuerto de El Alto" [A Bolivian Air Force plane crashed at El Alto airport]. El Litoral (in Spanish). 28 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  9. ^ "At least 20 dead after military plane carrying cash crashes near La Paz". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  10. ^ Ramos, Daniel; Alexander, Iñigo (27 February 2026). "Bolivian military plane crashes in El Alto near La Paz". Reuters. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
  11. ^ "Runway excursion Accident Lockheed C-130H Hercules FAB-81, Friday 27 February 2026". Aviation Safety Network. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  12. ^ "Tragedia aérea deja 22 fallecidos y 37 heridos; ambulancias fueron agredidas en El Alto" [Air tragedy leaves 22 dead and 37 injured; ambulances attacked in El Alto] (in Spanish). El Deber. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  13. ^ Tarqui, Heidy (28 February 2026). "Un tripulante falleció y otros siete sobrevivieron al accidente aéreo en El Alto, señala la FAB". Unitel Bolivia (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  14. ^ "DGAC sobre accidente en El Alto: "El avión se salió de la pista, no se cayó"". Visión 360. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  15. ^ I, R. F. "Al menos 20 muertos en accidente de avión militar que transportaba billetes en Bolivia" [At least 20 dead in military plane crash carrying banknotes in Bolivia]. El Deber (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  16. ^ "Una camioneta quemada y tres ambulancias destrozadas tras intento de saqueo de billetes en el accidente aéreo en El Alto". Unitel Bolivia (in Spanish). 1 March 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  17. ^ Ramos, Daniel; Machicao, Monica (28 February 2026). "Residents protest as authorities burn cash left on ground by Bolivian plane crash". Reuters. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  18. ^ "El BCB restablece la plena validez de los billetes de Bs10, Bs20 y Bs50 de la Serie B a partir del lunes 2 de marzo" [The Central Bank of Bolivia (BCB) will reinstate the full validity of the Bs10, Bs20, and Bs50 banknotes of Series B from Monday 2 March] (PDF). Central Bank of Bolivia (in Spanish). La Paz. 28 February 2026. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  19. ^ "Levantan el resguardo policial y militar en la zona del avión siniestrado y algunas personas se acercaron en busca de billetes". Unitel Bolivia (in Spanish). 1 March 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  20. ^ Montero Plaza, Baldwin (28 February 2026). "'No están solos', Paz expresa sus condolencias a víctimas del accidente aéreo y anuncia investigaciones". Visión 360 (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  21. ^ Añez Chávez, Jeanine [@JeanineAnez] (28 February 2026). "Me encuentro profundamente conmovida por la noticia del accidente del avión militar ocurrido esta tarde en El Alto. Esta tragedia duele" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  22. ^ "Monseñor Arana preside ceremonia en homenaje a víctimas del accidente del Hércules en El Alto". Visión 360 (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  23. ^ "Solidaridad en acción: 247 personas donan sangre para ayudar a los heridos del accidente del avión militar en El Alto". Visión 360 (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  24. ^ "Tragedia en El Alto: FAB busca la caja negra y evaluará los factores climáticos en el momento del accidente". Unitel Bolivia (in Spanish). 28 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  25. ^ "Maquinaria pesada comienza a retirar los restos del avión Hércules tras tragedia aérea en El Alto". Visión 360 (in Spanish). 1 March 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  26. ^ "El Hércules transportaba una carga con límite máximo y la empresa corría contra el tiempo para entregar billetes al BCB". El País Tarija (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 March 2026.
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