Tragic Plane Crash in São Paulo Leaves 62 Dead
A tragic plane crash in São Paulo, Brazil, kills all 62 on board as a Voepass ATR-72 crashes into a residential area. Authorities are investigating.
A devastating plane crash in the Brazilian state of São Paulo has claimed the lives of all 62 people on board, as the Voepass airline's ATR-72 aircraft went down in a residential area of Vinhedo. The plane, which was en route from Cascavel in the southern state of Paraná to São Paulo's main airport, was carrying 58 passengers and four crew members.
The crash occurred at approximately 1:30 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. ET), according to Flightradar24, a flight tracking website. The twin-engine turboprop plane, built in 2010, had left Cascavel at 11:56 a.m. local time (14:56 GMT) before losing signal about an hour and a half later.
Eyewitness footage circulating on social media captured the horrifying moments before impact, showing the plane spiraling downward in a vertical descent. The final moments of the flight ended in tragedy as the aircraft crashed into a residential building in Vinhedo, causing a massive fire and leaving a trail of destruction.
Brazil's GloboNews television network aired images of the crash site, revealing a large area engulfed in flames and thick black smoke. The scene was one of utter devastation, with burning wreckage scattered across the area and at least one body visible amidst the debris.
Local authorities have confirmed that there were no survivors. Police and fire services rushed to the scene, while nearby hospitals were put on high alert. Brazil's Civil Defense reported that the plane struck multiple houses as it went down, further compounding the destruction.
In response to the tragedy, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his condolences, holding a minute's silence during an event and later posting on social media: "Very sad. All my solidarity to the families and friends of the victims."
The Brazilian Air Force has dispatched a team to investigate the crash, and an official inquiry is expected to follow. As authorities work to piece together the events leading to this tragic accident, the country mourns the loss of 62 lives, united in grief and solidarity with the victims' families.
