Plane Crash in São Paulo, Brazil Claims 61 Lives
A tragic plane crash in São Paulo state, Brazil, has resulted in the loss of all 61 people on board. The twin-engine turboprop aircraft was en route from Cascavel in Paraná to Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo when it went down in the town of Vinhedo, according to Voepass, the airline operating the flight.
Disturbing footage shared on social media shows the aircraft descending sharply and spiraling uncontrollably before crashing. The ATR 72-500 was carrying 57 passengers and four crew members, with authorities confirming that there were no survivors.
Eyewitnesses describe the harrowing moment the plane went down. “I heard a loud noise, and when I looked out, I saw the plane spinning out of control,” said local resident Felipe Magalhaes, who watched the crash from his home.
Another witness, Nathalie Cicari, recounted hearing an unusual noise while having lunch. “It sounded like a drone, but much louder. When I stepped out on the balcony, I saw the plane spiraling, and I knew something was terribly wrong,” she told CNN Brasil.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his deep condolences to the families and friends of the victims, calling the news “very sad” and urging the country to honor the victims with a moment of silence during an event he was attending.
São Paulo’s state governor, Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, has declared three days of mourning in memory of those who perished. Local officials have retrieved the flight recorders, and ATR, the French-Italian manufacturer of the aircraft, has pledged full cooperation with the investigation.
The plane crashed into a residential area, but miraculously, no one on the ground was injured. Only one house in a local condominium complex sustained damage. Footage from the scene shows a large fire and smoke billowing from the wreckage amidst a cluster of homes.
The plane had departed Cascavel at 11:56 local time (14:56 GMT), and the last signal was received about an hour and a half later, according to Flightradar24, a flight tracking website.
Brazil’s civil aviation agency confirmed that the aircraft, built in 2010, was in good operating condition with all necessary certifications. The four crew members were also fully licensed and qualified for the flight.
Among the victims were two trainee doctors from the Uopeccan Cancer Hospital in Cascavel, the hospital confirmed.
This disaster marks Brazil’s deadliest plane crash since 2007, when a TAM Express aircraft crashed and burst into flames at São Paulo’s Congonhas Airport, killing 199 people.
Valinhos, a nearby town, sent 20 emergency personnel to assist at the crash site as part of a joint response effort. “We mobilized twenty men, including three vehicles from the Valinhos Municipal Civil Guard and one from the Civil Defense,” Valinhos City Hall stated.
ATR, the plane’s manufacturer, expressed their sorrow in a statement, saying, “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic event. Our specialists are fully engaged to support both the investigation and our customer.”
