A Brazilian plane carrying 62 people crashed on Friday in a residential area of Vinhedo, São Paulo. The aircraft, a twin-engine ATR 72-500 operated by Voepass Linhas Aéreas, had departed from Cascavel in Paraná state, heading to São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport.

 

The accident occurred at 1:25 p.m. local time, according to authorities. An official statement from the Valinhos City Hall, a neighboring city, confirmed there were no survivors. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has confirmed the tragedy, requesting a moment of silence during a public event in Itajaí, Santa Catarina, and extending his condolences to the victims' families.

 

🇧🇷 | URGENTE: Primeras imágenes tras la caída de un avión de pasajeros en Brasil
pic.twitter.com/y1Nr2L4v0T

— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) August 9, 2024

 

Seven fire teams were deployed to the crash site to control the fire that erupted after impact. The aircraft crashed into the Recanto Florido residential complex, near Miguel Melhado de Campos Road. Social media videos show the plane spiraling down before crashing, followed by a large column of black smoke.

 

The cause of the accident has not yet been determined. However, Celos Faria de Souza, director of the Brazilian Aviation Safety Agency, suggested in an interview that ice accumulation on the wings could have affected the plane's stability. The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) has sent inspectors from the Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Center (Cenipa) to investigate the incident.

 

#Brazil🇧🇷 | El Cuerpo de Bomberos de Vinhedo, en el estado de São Paulo, Brasil, informó que un avión se estrelló en una zona residencial.… pic.twitter.com/NldbtMpb0x

— BajaNews (@MxBajanews) August 9, 2024

 

Vinhedo, with a population of about 76,000, is located approximately 80 kilometers northwest of São Paulo. Nearby hospitals in Vinhedo and Valinhos have been put on alert for potential injuries, though no injuries on the ground have been reported.

 

🇧🇷 | El avión ATR 72-500 transportaba a 62 personas (58 pasajeros y 4 miembros de la tripulación) cuando perdió rápidamente altitud y se estrelló cerca de São Paulo en Brasil.
pic.twitter.com/159KRRl8yi

— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) August 9, 2024

 

São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas, who was attending an official event in Espírito Santo, is returning to the state to oversee emergency operations at the crash site.

 

Voepass Linhas Aéreas has issued a statement confirming the incident and set up a contact number for passengers’ relatives as investigations continue to clarify what happened.