A tragic plane crash in a gated community in São Paulo, Brazil, has claimed the lives of all 61 people on board, the airline Voepass has confirmed.
Officials reported that the crash in the municipality of Vinhedo caused damage to only one home, and fortunately, no residents were injured.
Voepass initially reported that 62 passengers were on the flight, which was traveling from Cascavel in Paraná state to Guarulhos in São Paulo. However, the airline later revised the number to 61.
In a statement, Voepass expressed deep regret: “We are saddened to confirm that all 61 individuals aboard flight 2283 have perished at the crash site.” The company also emphasized that it is providing full support to the victims’ families and is cooperating with authorities to investigate the cause of the accident.
Footage aired by Brazilian TV station GloboNews reveals a large area engulfed in flames, with smoke rising from what appears to be the plane’s fuselage.
Video circulating on social media captures the aircraft spiraling out of control before crashing behind a cluster of trees near residential homes.
Authorities quickly sealed off the gated community where the crash occurred, as firefighters and military police were dispatched to the scene.
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Voepass has not yet commented on the possible cause of the crash, but a São Paulo state official confirmed that the plane’s flight recorder has been recovered.
According to FlightRadar24, the flight tracker website, there was an active warning for “severe icing” at an altitude between 12,000 and 21,000 feet. The aircraft had been flying at 17,000 feet just before the crash. Icing, which occurs when water droplets freeze and accumulate on surfaces like wings and propeller blades, can significantly impair an aircraft’s performance by reducing thrust, decreasing lift, and increasing drag.
Aircraft manufacturer ATR confirmed it had been notified of an accident in Vinhedo involving one of its planes. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy,” the company stated, adding that their specialists are “fully engaged” in the investigation alongside their customers.
According to the flight tracker website FlightRadar24, the aircraft involved in the crash was a 14-year-old ATR 72-500 turboprop. In its final minute, the plane’s transponder recorded a vertical descent rate ranging between 8,000 and 24,000 feet per minute, with the higher end of that range translating to a speed of 273 miles per hour.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, speaking at an event in the southern part of the country, remarked that it appeared all passengers and crew on board had perished. He then requested the crowd to stand and observe a minute of silence in honour of the victims.
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