An aircraft carrying 57 passengers and four crew members crashed in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state on Friday, with no survivors reported, according to the airline.
The ATR 72-500, operated by Voepass, was en route from Cascavel in southern Parana state to Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport when it went down in Vinhedo.
Voepass initially reported 58 passengers but later corrected the number to 57.
Local media images captured the plane spiraling almost vertically before crashing, with thick smoke rising from the impact site, which appeared to be a residential area.
The city government of Valinhos, involved in the rescue and recovery efforts, confirmed to AFP that there were no survivors.
Vinhedo, a city of about 76,000 people, is located roughly 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of Sao Paulo.
Recovery operations for the victims’ remains are underway, with Sao Paulo State Governor Tarcisio de Freitas stating that the process would continue through the night.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has declared three days of mourning.
Voepass is working with authorities to investigate the cause of the crash and is providing support to the victims’ families.
The airline reported that the plane took off with all systems operational and no flight restrictions.
Brazil’s CENIPA aviation accident agency has launched an investigation, with ATR, the aircraft’s manufacturer and an Airbus subsidiary, assisting the inquiry.
Truck driver Martins Barbosa, 49, was working nearby when the crash occurred, just 150 meters (500 feet) from his home.
He expressed relief that his family was safe but was initially worried the plane might have struck his house.
Witness Nathalie Cicari described the crash as “terrifying,” noting a loud noise and seeing the plane spinning before realizing it was not a normal flight maneuver.
Another witness, Ricardo Rodrigues, reported seeing numerous bodies at the scene.
Emergency services, including firefighters, military police, and state civil defense, responded swiftly.
The fire caused by the crash has been extinguished, and the plane’s black box has been recovered and appears to be in good condition.
The plane, which first flew in April 2010, was part of a fleet with generally high safety standards.
Despite improvements in global air safety over recent decades, such accidents remain more frequent in developing countries.
Brazil has recorded 108 aircraft accidents this year alone, with 49 fatalities. In the past decade, 746 people have died in 1,665 aviation accidents in the country.
In January 2023, another ATR 72 crash in Nepal resulted in the deaths of all 72 people on board.
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