Tragic Plane crash in Brazil

In the Brazilian state of São Paulo, a tragic plane crash has claimed the lives of all 62 people on board.

Authorities have confirmed that all bodies have been recovered from the crash site in the town of Vinhedo. The aircraft, a twin-engine turboprop operated by Voepass, was traveling from Cascavel in Paraná to Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo.

Initially, Voepass reported that the ATR 72-500 was carrying 57 passengers and four crew members, but later it was confirmed there was an additional passenger on board. The aircraft crashed in a residential area, but fortunately, no one on the ground was hurt. Only one home in a local condominium complex suffered damage.

The recovery operation concluded at 6:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, with the bodies of 34 males and 28 females being moved to a police morgue in São Paulo for identification. Family members of the victims are staying in a local hotel to assist with the identification process, with 38 families having arrived so far.

The fire department, led by Captain Maycon Cristo, is using various methods to identify the victims, such as examining documents and the seating positions of the bodies, as well as checking mobile phones recovered from the crash site.

This incident marks Brazil’s worst plane crash since 2007 when a TAM Express flight crashed at Congonhas Airport, killing 199 people.

The cause of the crash is not yet known, but the flight recorders have been recovered, and ATR, the plane’s manufacturer, is cooperating with the investigation. Brazil’s civil aviation agency reported that the aircraft, built in 2010, was in good condition with all necessary certifications. The crew members on board were fully licensed and qualified.

The crash was witnessed by local residents, some of whom described hearing a loud noise and seeing the plane descending rapidly. Despite the destruction, one resident, Luiz Augusto de Oliveira, expressed gratitude that the damage to his home was minimal and that his family was unharmed.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has expressed his condolences to the victims’ families, calling the news “very sad” and sharing his solidarity on social media. São Paulo’s state governor, Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, has declared three days of mourning in response to the tragedy.