A passenger plane carrying 62 people crashed on the outskirts of São Paulo on Friday, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva confirmed. Dramatic footage from the scene showed the plane’s destroyed fuselage engulfed in flames on the ground.
During a speech at a naval event, Lula abruptly interrupted his address to report the tragedy. “It appears that everyone on board may have died,” Lula said. He described the incident as a “plane crash in the city of Vinhedo, São Paulo, with 58 passengers and 4 crew members,” and asked those present to observe a moment of silence. A video of his statement was shared on social media platform X.
Videos circulating on social media captured the distressing moment the plane spiraled out of the sky before crashing into the ground, causing panic among local residents. Additional footage showed the wreckage of the plane burning on the ground.
The plane, operated by Brazilian airline Voepass, struck multiple houses as it crashed into a residential area, according to Brazil’s Civil Defense and reported by CNN Brasil.
Flight data from Flightradar24 indicates that the Voepass aircraft had departed from Cascavel and was en route to São Paulo when it lost signal shortly before 1:30 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. ET). The cause of the crash remains unclear.
Voepass has issued a statement noting that there is still no confirmation regarding the cause of the accident or the status of the individuals on board. The airline and relevant authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident.
The crash has prompted a significant emergency response, with local authorities and rescue teams working at the scene. The area has been cordoned off as investigators attempt to piece together the events leading up to the disaster.
ADVERTISEMENT
As details continue to emerge, the tragedy has drawn widespread attention and concern, with people across Brazil and beyond awaiting further information on the incident.
