A plane crash has occurred in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state, killing all 57 passengers and 4 crew members. The accident occurred on Friday when the Voepass airline’s ATR 72-500 aircraft was heading from Cascavel to Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport but crashed in a city called Vinhedo.
What happened in the accident?
Voepass initially said there were 58 passengers on board but later revised that to 57. Photos and video of the crash circulated on local media, showing a large plane falling in an almost upright direction.
Rescue and relief operations 🚑
The government of the city of Vinhedo, which was responding to the rescue with the help of the nearby city of Valinhos, confirmed that there were no survivors. São Paulo state governor Tarcisio de Freitas said work to identify the remains of the dead would continue overnight. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared three days of mourning.
What was the cause of the accident?✈️
Voepass airline said the plane took off without any flight restrictions and all its systems were working properly. Brazil’s CENIPA aviation agency has launched an investigation into the accident. ATR, the plane’s manufacturer and a subsidiary of Airbus, has also sent experts to help with the investigation.
Testimony of eyewitnesses of the accident
Witnesses to the crash described the incident as terrifying. Martins Barbosa, a truck driver who was working only 150 metres from the crash site, said that when he heard the crash, he thought the plane had fallen on his house, where his son was. Nathalie Sicari, who lives near the crash site, said she heard a loud noise at noon, similar to a drone but much louder. When she went outside and looked, she saw the plane crash.
