Brazil : Tragic plane crash killled 61 passengers

A tragic plane crash near São Paulo on Friday afternoon claimed the lives of all 61 people on board, according to a statement from Voepass, the airline operating the flight. The ATR 72-500 aircraft, en route from Cascavel in Paraná to Guarulhos in São Paulo state, suddenly lost altitude and crashed, with dramatic footage showing the plane spiralling out of control before hitting the ground and bursting into flames. Despite the severity of the crash, no injuries were reported on the ground.

Voepass initially reported 62 fatalities but later confirmed 61, including 57 passengers and four crew members, all holding Brazilian documents. The cause of the crash remains unclear, though flight data indicates the plane lost 17,000 feet in altitude within just one minute. The plane’s black boxes have been recovered, and investigators hope to retrieve data to understand the cause of the crash.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared three days of mourning for the victims and called for a minute of silence during a public event. Efforts are ongoing to identify the victims, many of whom were badly burned, and support is being provided to their families.

Tragic plane crash : Brazil mourns 61 victims