Brazilian plane crash outside São Pau
Brazilian plane crash outside São Paulo kills 61, says airline
Updated 12:00 AM EDT,
Sat August 10, 2024
By M.k.karikalsozhan Blog Reporter
Footage widely shared on social media captured the harrowing descent of the aircraft and the wreckage engulfed in flames upon impact.
In a statement, Voepass expressed deep sorrow, confirming that all 61 people aboard flight 2283 perished in the crash. The revised death toll was updated from an initial report of 62 casualties. The flight carried 57 passengers along with four crew members.
According to the airline, all passengers possessed Brazilian identification, although it remains uncertain if any held dual citizenship.
Flight tracking data revealed that the ATR 72-500, a twin-engine turboprop aircraft, plummeted 17,000 feet within a single minute. The cause of the rapid descent is still under investigation.
Videos circulating online depicted the plane spiralling towards the ground before crashing, as onlookers reacted in terror. Additional footage showed the plane’s remains consumed by flames. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among those on the ground, according to city officials.
A flight departing from Cascavel in Brazil's Paraná state, bound for Guarulhos in São Paulo, lost signal shortly before 1:30 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. ET), according to data from Flightradar24.
The aircraft began its descent about a minute and a half before the crash. Up until 1:21 p.m. local time, the plane had maintained a cruising altitude of 17,000 feet. Within a span of 10 seconds, it descended approximately 250 feet, before climbing around 400 feet in the next eight seconds.
However, just eight seconds later, the plane abruptly lost nearly 2,000 feet in altitude. Following this, the aircraft entered a rapid descent, plummeting about 17,000 feet in the span of a single minute.
The last transmission received from the plane occurred at 1:22 p.m. local time.
The cause of the crash remains unknown at this time, as Voepass CEO Eduardo Busch explained during a press conference.
A tragic plane crash near São Paulo, Brazil, on Friday has claimed the lives of 61 people. The incident involved a Voepass Airlines ATR 72-500 aircraft, which was en route from Cascavel to São Paulo. According to reports, the plane lost signal and began rapidly descending before crashing into a residential area in Vinhedo, São Paulo.
Dramatic footage shared on social media captured the plane spiraling out of control before hitting the ground. The wreckage, engulfed in flames, was seen scattered among several houses, although fortunately, no one on the ground was injured.
The plane was carrying 57 passengers and four crew members, all of whom were confirmed dead by Voepass. The cause of the crash remains unknown, and an investigation is underway. The airline's CEO, Eduardo Busch, noted that the aircraft was equipped with two black boxes, which may provide crucial information about the events leading up to the crash, though there is concern that the severity of the accident may have compromised the data.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his condolences and declared three days of mourning for the victims. Families of the deceased are being supported by the airline, which has provided accommodation and psychological assistance.
Efforts to identify the victims are ongoing, with authorities requesting medical documentation from families to aid in the process, as many of the bodies were severely burned. The cause of the crash remains a mystery, and the aviation community and the public alike await the results of the investigation.
She crouched down in fear and began to pray, describing it later as a "moment of panic" that gripped the entire city. Private roads leading to the properties have now been sealed off, even to residents, and emergency responders are on the scene.
Investigation Underway
Vinhedo City Hall announced in a statement on Friday that it is awaiting the arrival of a team from the Brazilian Air Force to begin investigating the crash's cause.
Brigadier Marcelo Moreno, head of Brazil’s aviation accident agency CENIPA, stated during a press conference that the aircraft's crew had not reported any emergency prior to the crash. “So far, we have no information indicating that the aircraft was in any sort of emergency situation,” he said.
Busch, the CEO of Voepass, expressed the airline's commitment to cooperating closely with CENIPA in the investigation.
According to the Brazilian Aeronautical Registry, the Voepass aircraft was manufactured in 2010 and was acquired by the airline in September 2022.
The registration data also reveals that the aircraft had been "denied operation for air taxi." However, the reasons for this decision remain unclear at this time.
CNN has contacted Brazil’s aviation authority for further clarification on the matter.
ATR, the plane’s manufacturer, confirmed its awareness of the incident and assured that it is assisting the investigation.
"In light of the accident in Vinhedo, Brazil involving an ATR 72-500, our thoughts are with all those affected. ATR specialists are actively supporting the investigation and working with the customer," the manufacturer said in a statement.
A tragic aviation incident recently captured the attention of people around the world, as a passenger plane plummeted from the sky and crashed, with the terrifying event being caught on camera by residents in the area. The harrowing footage shows the aircraft spiralling uncontrollably before hitting the ground, sending shockwaves through the neighbourhood. Witnesses could be heard screaming in fear as they watched the disaster unfold.
According to aviation experts speaking to CNN, the aircraft involved was an ATR 72, a type of turboprop constructed by a European consortium. This particular model has a concerning safety record, with at least 15 incidents involving passenger fatalities recorded globally. The ATR 72's history of accidents raises questions about its reliability, especially in adverse weather conditions, which may have been a factor in this latest tragedy.
In a twist of fate, some passengers narrowly escaped being on the doomed flight. A group of at least 10 people missed the flight due to a mix-up at the airport. One of the would-be passengers recounted their story to the Brazilian news outlet Globo. He described how they had mistakenly waited at the wrong gate and, by the time they realised the error, boarding for the flight had already closed.
The man shared the intense emotions he experienced during the ordeal. He recounted how he pleaded with airport staff to allow him to board, but was told that it was too late. "They said to me, Mister, you’re not getting on this plane because we’re already past the boarding limit. I even pressured them a little – ‘Mister, put me on this plane, I have to go’ – then he said, ‘There’s no way, what I can do is rebook your ticket,’” he explained. Although disappointed at the time, this twist of fate ultimately saved his life.
Upon learning of the crash, the man expressed his overwhelming relief, but also his shock and disbelief. “My legs are shaking; only God knows how I’m feeling,” he said. His narrow escape from death left him and the other passengers who missed the flight grappling with the reality of what had just occurred. “Thank God, we didn’t get on that plane,” he said, reflecting on the thin line between life and death.
This tragic event has left many mourning the loss of those on board, while also serving as a sobering reminder of the unpredictable nature of life. The passengers who missed the flight now find themselves confronting the strange mixture of emotions that comes with narrowly avoiding disaster: relief, guilt, and a deeper appreciation for life.
The incident has also reignited discussions about the safety of certain aircraft models, particularly the ATR 72. As investigators work to determine the exact cause of the crash, the aviation community is likely to scrutinise the safety protocols and maintenance practices surrounding this type of aircraft. In the meantime, the crash stands as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of safety in air travel.
The contributions to this story from CNN’s Isa Soares, Tatiana Arias, Pam Boykoff, Marcelo Medeiros, and Lex Harvey provided valuable context and detail.
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