(AP) SANTIAGO, Chile — The attempted theft of more than $32 million in cash from a plane departing from Miami, according to officials, resulted in the deaths of a security guard and an alleged robber in a shootout at Chile’s capital airport on Wednesday.
According to Interior Subsecretary Manuel Monsalve, about 10 heavily armed robbers were able to get past security measures and reach the runway while robbing a Latam Airlines aircraft that was transporting $32.5 million in cash to an armored vehicle. An employee of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, or DGAC, as well as an alleged attacker were slain in a shootout between the would-be robbers and security personnel.
The other thieves ran away. Later, two burned-out cars were discovered close by. The would-be robbers were “highly organized” and “very armed,” Monsalve said, adding that the DGAC officers’ courageous move prevented the robbery.
In a video shared on social media, a Delta plane that was parked next to the Latam plane that was attacked looked to have bullet holes. Another video appears to capture a scene during the firefight where there are audible sounds of many gunshots.