61 Lives Lost in Devastating Plane Crash in São Paulo, Brazil

New Delhi: A tragic plane crash in São Paulo, Brazil, has resulted in the deaths of all 61 individuals on board. The ill-fated aircraft, an ATR 72-500 operated by Voepass airline, was flying from Cascavel in the state of Paraná to Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo when it went down in the town of Vinhedo. The plane carried 57 passengers and four crew members, and authorities have confirmed that there were no survivors.

Witnesses and footage shared on social media captured the harrowing final moments of the flight, showing the plane spiraling uncontrollably before crashing into a residential area. Remarkably, despite the plane landing in a populated zone, no one on the ground was harmed, though a home in a condominium complex sustained damage. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene, battling flames and assessing the wreckage.

In the wake of the disaster, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed deep sorrow, extending his sympathy to the victims’ families. São Paulo’s Governor, Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, declared a three-day period of mourning across the state.

The aircraft’s flight data recorders have been retrieved, and ATR, the manufacturer of the plane, has committed to assisting with the investigation. The Brazilian civil aviation agency confirmed that the aircraft was in good operating condition and that the crew was fully certified and licensed.

This incident marks Brazil’s deadliest aviation accident since 2007, when a TAM Express plane crashed at São Paulo’s Congonhas airport, resulting in 199 fatalities. The investigation into the causes of this latest tragedy is ongoing, as the nation mourns the lives lost.