A cargo plane loaded with money met a tragic end on Friday when it crashed near Bolivia’s capital, resulting in significant damage to approximately a dozen vehicles on a nearby highway. The incident scattered currency across the ground and tragically claimed the lives of at least 15 individuals, according to an official report.

Fire Chief Pavel Tovar refrained from specifying whether the fatalities occurred among those aboard the aircraft or from individuals in the vehicles on the highway near La Paz’s airport.

He confirmed that there were also several injuries resulting from the crash.

Eyewitness images shared across social media platforms showed the aircraft colliding with vehicles in El Alto, a city adjacent to La Paz, before it eventually came to a halt in an open field.

There remains some uncertainty regarding whether the plane was in the process of taking off or landing at the time of the crash.

The aftermath of the accident saw debris from the airplane, wrecked vehicles, and victims scattered across the road, painting a grim scene.

According to Tovar, at least 15 vehicles were involved.

Firefighters managed to extinguish the flames engulfing the aircraft.

The plane, a Hercules aircraft belonging to the Bolivian air force, was transporting new banknotes from the Central Bank to other cities and a large number of bills scattered on the ground at the crash site.

Images circulating on social media showed people rushing to collect the bills while police in riot gear tried to disperse them

Authorities temporarily suspended all flights to and from the terminal.