Tragedy in São Paulo: Plane Crash Kills All 61 Onboard in Fiery Wreck
A Voepass passenger plane carrying 61 people crashed into a residential area in São Paulo state, Brazil, on Thursday, killing everyone onboard. The ATR-72 turboprop, en route from Cascavel to Guarulhos, plummeted from 17,000 feet, spiraling out of control before crashing in Vinhedo, 76km from São Paulo’s capital. There were no casualties on the ground, though the crash site was described as a “very sad scene” by Col Emerson Massera of the Brazilian military police.
Footage shared on social media captured the horrifying moments as the plane spiraled down, followed by an explosion and a plume of black smoke. Eyewitnesses reported the aircraft “rotating but not moving forward” before it fell and erupted into flames, scattering debris across the neighborhood.
Despite initial reports that 62 people were onboard, the airline confirmed the final count as 61, including 57 passengers and four crew members. Voepass expressed deep sorrow and pledged full cooperation with authorities to uncover the cause of the disaster.
The Brazilian air force and federal police have launched an investigation, though no timeline has been set for its completion. Brigadier Marcelo Moreno of the Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Centre emphasized that the aircraft had not communicated any emergency before the crash, adding to the mystery surrounding the sudden tragedy.
In response to the crash, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva led a moment of silence, mourning the loss of life in one of Brazil’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.
