Tragedy struck near Brazil’s Sao Paulo as a regional turboprop plane crashed, killing all 61 people on board. The aircraft, operated by Voepass, was en route from Cascavel, Parana, to Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport when it went down in a residential area near Vinhedo on Friday.
Disturbing footage shared on social media captured the plane, identified as an ATR 72-500, spiralling out of control before plummeting into a cluster of trees near homes. The crash was followed by a large plume of black smoke, marking the devastating scene.
Authorities in Valinhos, close to Vinhedo, confirmed the grim news — there were no survivors. Remarkably, despite the crash occurring in a residential area, only one home in a nearby condominium complex was damaged, and no residents sustained injuries.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, addressing an event shortly after the incident, broke the tragic news to the nation. “I have to be the bearer of really bad news,” the President said, before requesting a minute of silence to honour the victims.
Initially, Voepass reported that the plane carried 58 passengers and four crew members, but the airline later revised the count to 57 on their official website. The ATR 72-500, registered as PS-VPB, was manufactured by ATR, a joint venture between Airbus and the Italian aerospace company Leonardo.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, with Voepass stating that they could not provide further details at this time. In response to the disaster, Sao Paulo’s State fire brigade quickly deployed seven crews to the crash site to manage the aftermath.
This catastrophic event has left the nation in mourning, as families and communities grapple with the loss of 61 lives in what should have been a routine flight.
