A passenger plane carrying 61 individuals has tragically crashed in São Paulo state, Brazil, with no survivors reported. The aircraft, an ATR-72 turboprop, was en route from Cascavel in Paraná to Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo when it went down in a residential area in Vinhedo, approximately 76 kilometers from the state capital. Initially, the airline Voepass reported that 62 people were on board, but later revised the count to 61, confirming the deaths of all 57 passengers and four crew members.
In response to the tragedy, Voepass issued a statement emphasizing its commitment to providing full support to the victims' families and cooperating with authorities in the investigation of the crash. The airline stressed that their priority at this time is to assist the bereaved families while working closely with investigators to determine the cause of the accident.
Colonel Emerson Massera of the Brazilian military police informed reporters at the crash site in Vinhedo that there were no survivors. The scene was described as devastating, with firefighters working tirelessly to contain and cool the blaze. Massera noted that approximately 50 firefighters remained at the scene, focused on extinguishing any remaining flames and clearing the area to allow investigators to proceed with identifying the victims.
The crash did not result in any casualties on the ground, which was confirmed by Colonel Cassio Araújo de Freitas, the general commander of the military police. He stated that there were no reports of injuries or fatalities among residents in the area where the plane crashed.
Data from the flight tracking website Flightradar24 revealed that the plane was cruising at an altitude of 17,000 feet before rapidly descending by 4,000 feet within two minutes, after which its signal was lost. Social media videos captured the plane spiraling out of control before crashing into a cluster of trees, followed by a thick plume of black smoke rising from the wreckage.
One video clip depicted the aftermath of the crash, showing flames and smoke billowing from the fuselage of the aircraft, which appeared to have collided with the side of a house. Debris and at least one body were visible scattered across the gardens of nearby homes as emergency vehicles arrived on the scene.
Witnesses to the crash described the terrifying moments leading up to the impact. Ana Lúcia de Lima, a local resident, recounted the loud noise she heard, which she likened to the plane crashing into her own house. She described hearing a powerful initial explosion followed by several smaller blasts, and seeing dark smoke billowing into the sky. Another witness, Daniel de Lima, shared that he observed the plane in a horizontal spiral, rotating but not moving forward, before it suddenly plummeted and exploded upon impact.
In the aftermath of the crash, both the Brazilian air force and federal police deployed investigative teams to the site. Brigadier Marcelo Moreno, head of the air force’s Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Centre, cautioned that it was too early to draw any conclusions about the cause of the crash. He confirmed that there had been no distress calls or emergency communications from the plane before the crash.
Voepass reassured the public that the aircraft had been operating without any restrictions and that all its systems were functioning properly prior to the flight. The airline emphasized that the plane was in good condition and had passed all necessary safety checks.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva acknowledged the tragic event during a speech in southern Brazil on Friday, calling for a moment of silence in memory of those who lost their lives in the crash. The President expressed his deep sorrow for the victims and their families, extending his condolences and support during this difficult time.
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