A regional turboprop aircraft with 61 passengers onboard crashed near Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday, resulting in the death of everyone aboard, according to the local officials at the crash site. Footage circulating on social media depicted the ATR aircraft spiraling uncontrollably as it descended behind a group of trees close to residential areas, followed by a significant cloud of black smoke.
Officials from the city of Valinhos, located near Vinhedo, confirmed that there were no survivors. Only one house in the nearby condominium complex sustained damage, but fortunately none of the residents were injured.
“I must deliver some heartbreaking news,” stated President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during an event shortly after the crash. He requested a moment of silence to honor the victims. The airline Voepass confirmed that the aircraft, which had departed from Cascavel in Parana and was heading to Sao Paulo’s main international airport, went down in Vinhedo, located approximately 80 km (50 miles) northwest of Sao Paulo.
The unlisted airline reported that it could not disclose additional details regarding the cause of the crash involving the aircraft as PS-VBP. Shortly after the incident, the Sao Paulo state fire brigade announced that it was deploying seven teams to the crash site.
FlightRadar24 classified the plane involved in the incident as an ATR 72-500 turboprop. ATR is a collaboration between Airbus and the Italian aerospace firm Leonardo.
ATR has yet to respond to request for comment.
