SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – A devastating plane crash occurred in a residential area of Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday afternoon, resulting in the death of all 61 individuals on board. The aircraft, a twin-engine turboprop operated by Voepass, was en route to Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport from the city of Cascavel when it plummeted in the city of Vinhedo. Local authorities confirmed there were no survivors.
The 57 passengers on board were all carrying Brazilian documents, though it remains unclear whether any held dual citizenship. The four crew members also perished in the crash. Remarkably, despite the plane’s descent of approximately 17,000 feet in roughly a minute, no injuries were reported on the ground.
Footage of the tragic incident was broadcast by Brazilian television network GloboNews, showing the plane spiraling out of control before disappearing behind a cluster of trees. Subsequent images revealed a scene of destruction, with fire and smoke billowing from the wreckage of the plane amidst residential homes. Additional footage showed two bodies amid the flaming debris.
Witnesses near the crash site recounted the terrifying event. Ana Lucia, a local resident, expressed her relief that no local residents were harmed, while acknowledging the tragic loss of those on board. Another resident, who managed to capture some of the aftermath on video, described the incident as a “moment of panic” for the entire city.
The aircraft involved in the crash, an ATR72-500, was manufactured in Europe in 2010, according to flight tracking service Flightradar24. The plane had departed from Cascavel at 11:56 local time, with its last signal transmitted approximately 90 minutes later.
Upon learning of the tragedy, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva requested a moment of silence during an event in southern Brazil. The cause of the crash remains unknown, with speculation ranging from a mid-air collision to engine failure. The plane’s manufacturer, French-Italian company ATR, has pledged full support for the investigation and expressed condolences for those affected by the tragedy.