Tragic Plane Crash in Brazil’s São Paulo State Claims All 61 Lives on Board

A tragic plane crash in São Paulo, Brazil, has resulted in the deaths of all 61 people on board.

The twin-engine ATR 72-500, operated by Voepass, was traveling from Cascavel to Guarulhos airport when it crashed in the town of Vinhedo.

The aircraft, carrying 57 passengers and four crew members, descended vertically and spiraled before impacting a residential area. No injuries were reported on the ground, though a single home in a condominium complex was damaged.

The incident, witnessed by local residents, has been described as terrifying.

Felipe Magalhaes recounted hearing the plane’s descent and observing the crash from his window, while Nathalie Cicari compared the sound to a loud drone noise.

The flight, which left Cascavel at 11:56 local time, was in good operating condition with valid certificates, according to Brazil’s civil aviation agency.

The plane’s flight recorders have been recovered, and ATR, the plane’s manufacturer, has pledged full cooperation with the investigation.

Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has expressed condolences to the victims’ families, calling the news “very sad.” São Paulo’s Governor, Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, has declared three days of mourning.

The incident marks Brazil’s worst aviation disaster since 2007, when a TAM Express flight crashed, killing 199 people. Emergency personnel from nearby Valinhos have been deployed to assist at the scene.