Plane with 62 people on board crashes in São Paulo state

Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said it appeared that all passengers and crew on board died.

A passenger plane with 62 people on board has crashed in a fiery wreck in Brazil’s São Paulo state, and the president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said that it appeared that all passengers and crew aboard had died.

Speaking at an event in southern Brazil on Friday afternoon, Lula called for a minute of silence for those lost in the crash, without elaborating on the source of his information.

The ATR-72 plane operated by airline Voepass Linhas Aéreas was en route from Cascavel, in the state of Parana, to Guarulhos, in São Paulo, when it crashed on Friday afternoon. Voepass said 58 passengers and four crew members were on board.

São Paulo’s fire brigade confirmed on social media that a plane crashed in the city of Vinhedo – 76 kilometers away from the state’s capital –, and that it has sent seven crews to the region of the accident.

According to the Flight Radar website, the plane was traveling at 17,000 feet before plunging 4,000 feet in two minutes, and then its GPS signal was lost.

Video shared on social media showed the plane spiraling out of control as it plunged down into a cluster of trees, followed by a large plume of black smoke.

Another clip showed flames and smoke coming from the plane fuselage where it had apparently plowed into the side of a house. Burning debris and at least one body could be seen strewn across the gardens of a residential area, while emergency vehicles arrived.

Ana Lúcia de Lima, who lives nearby, told the UOL news website that the noise was so loud it “sounded like it was falling into my house… The first blast was strong, there was already dark smoke coming out, and then there were several more explosions.”

The Brazilian Air Force reported that it has sent a team of investigators to the site.

More details soon…

Related Posts

One Test Changed Everything

Shortly after giving birth to our daughter Sarah, the joy of new motherhood was shattered when my husband, Alex, accused me of infidelity. Despite years of marriage and trust, he…

Read more

How BFF Relationships Have Changed From the ’90s to Today

Growing up in the ’90s, your BFF was your partner in crime. You’d stay up late talking on the phone, gossip about your parents, and coordinate outfits like it was…

Read more

2) How BFF Relationships Have Changed From the ’90s to Today

In the ’90s, fights with your BFF were dramatic—like when she let your digital pet die while you were on vacation. Today, adult fights are more subtle, with passive-aggressive Facebook…

Read more

I Take My Toddler On Long Hauls—But Last Week He Said Something That Stopped Me Cold

I’ve been hauling freight since I was nineteen. When daycare costs became too much, I buckled my toddler, Micah, into the rig and brought him on the road. He’s two…

Read more

2) I Take My Toddler On Long Hauls—But Last Week He Said Something That Stopped Me Cold

We hadn’t been in it. She handed me another note. Another sketch. Same style. Same message:“You’re not alone. You never were.” That’s when I knew—it was my brother Jordan’s handwriting….

Read more

7 Homework Problems for Kids That Confuse Even Grown-Ups

Several parents shared their children’s homework, that made them tilt their heads and call for help. Fortunately, some Reddit and Twitter users came to the rescue and shared their two…

Read more