Bolivia tests air emergency response with large-scale simulation

Bolivia tested its emergency response systems with an aerial accident simulation on Friday. Approximately 500 individuals participated in the exercise at El Trompillo airport in Santa Cruz, the nation's most populous region. The drill aimed to assess the reaction capabilities at all Bolivian airports.

"The important thing is that we know we have the equipment and the people to face any incident or accident at El Trompillo," stated Jaime Machicado, director of the state-run Navegación Aérea y Aeropuertos Bolivianos (Naabol). El Trompillo, once Santa Cruz's main airport, now handles only small aircraft for remote services.

The simulation involved a mock aircraft crash, followed by responses including firefighting, triage of injured individuals, and identification of fatalities. Emergency services, including ambulances, firefighters, medical personnel, rescuers, and a police helicopter, were deployed. The drill also tested the coordination of medical, forensic, police, and military protocols.

This event marks the third such simulation, following earlier drills in Cochabamba and Cobija. The exercise comes in the wake of two recent fatal aviation incidents in Bolivia: a Hercules plane crash in February that killed 24 people, and a Cessna crash in June that resulted in six deaths.