The death toll from the Bolivian Air Force plane crash in El Alto, Bolivia, rose to at least 20 between 3:15 AM and 6:15 AM UTC on February 28, 2026, as the military aircraft carrying Central Bank banknotes from Santa Cruz scattered cash on the roadway, prompting police to use tear gas against looters, according to television footage. The updated casualty figure of at least 20 dead surpasses the prior count of 15 killed and 30 injured reported earlier Saturday, with emergency teams continuing response at the high-altitude site adjacent to La Paz. Police intervened after crowds breached the unsecured perimeter to seize the scattered money from the wreckage. This development follows police deployment of tear gas against looters between 12:45 AM and 2:45 AM UTC, as previously reported, with no new official Bolivian Air Force statements on aircraft details or further casualties during the latest three-hour window.
