President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva declared three days of mourning following a tragic airplane crash in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, on Friday claiming the lives of all 61 people on board, including 57 passengers and four crew members.
According to the AFP, the ATR 72-500 aircraft, operated by Voepass airline, was en route from Cascavel in Parana state to Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo when it went down in the city of Vinhedo.
Initially reported to be carrying 58 passengers, the airline later confirmed the correct number as 57.
Disturbing footage shared by local media captured the plane spiraling nearly vertically before crashing.
A large column of smoke was seen rising from the impact site, which appeared to be in a residential area.
Officials from the nearby city of Valinhos, who were involved in the rescue and recovery efforts, confirmed that there were no survivors.
Sao Paulo State Governor Tarcisio de Freitas stated that the recovery of the victims’ remains for identification would continue through the night.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has declared three days of mourning in response to the disaster.
Voepass has pledged full cooperation with authorities to determine the cause of the crash, while also providing support to the victims’ families.
The plane, a twin-engine turboprop that first flew in April 2010, reportedly took off with no flight restrictions and fully operational systems.
Brazil’s aviation accident investigation agency, CENIPA, has launched an investigation into the incident, with assistance from experts at ATR, the aircraft’s manufacturer.
Local witnesses described the crash as a terrifying event. Martins Barbosa, a truck driver who was working nearby, feared for his family’s safety when he heard about the crash.
Nathalie Cicari, another resident close to the site, recalled the deafening noise and seeing the plane in a frightening spin before it plummeted to the ground.
Authorities have confirmed that the accident did not cause any casualties on the ground and that the resulting fire was quickly brought under control.
The plane’s black box has been recovered and is reportedly intact, which may provide crucial information for the ongoing investigation.
This incident adds to a concerning number of aviation accidents in Brazil this year, with 108 recorded so far, leading to 49 fatalities. It echoes a similar tragedy involving another ATR 72 aircraft in Nepal in January 2023, where 72 people lost their lives due to pilot error.
