Tragic Plane Crash in Brazil Kills 62, Investigation Underway
Brazilian authorities have completed the recovery of 62 bodies from the site of a devastating plane crash that occurred on Friday. The ATR 72-500 twin-engine turboprop, operated by Voepass, crashed into a residential area in Vinhedo, killing everyone on board. The victims include 34 men and 28 women.
Video footage shows the plane spiraling downward before crashing, striking with such force that it nearly "flattened" the area, said Sao Paulo fire lieutenant Olivia Perroni Cazo. The victims’ bodies were taken to a morgue in Sao Paulo for identification and delivery to their families.
Two people have been identified through fingerprints, including the pilot and co-pilot. The Brazilian Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center (CENIPA) has begun analyzing two black boxes recovered from the wreckage, containing cabin conversations and in-flight data. CENIPA plans to publish a preliminary report within 30 days.
The crash occurred at 1:22 pm local time, when radar contact was lost. The plane was flying from Cascavel in southern Parana state to Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos international airport, having flown for about an hour at an altitude of 17,000 feet (5,180 meters) before losing altitude at a catastrophic rate.
Experts suspect that icing of the plane’s wings may have been behind the accident, as the plane flies at an altitude where there is a greater sensitivity to icing. However, the aircraft had undergone routine maintenance the night before and was in compliance with current standards, said Voepass’s operations director Marcel Moura.
The crash has resulted in a national mourning, with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva declaring three days of mourning for one of the worst aviation accidents in Brazil’s history. The victims included one dual citizen with Portugal and a family of three from Venezuela.
The incident is the worst major air disaster in Brazil in 17 years, with the last major accident occurring in 2007 when an Airbus A320 operated by TAM airlines overran a runway and crashed into a warehouse, killing 187 people on board and 12 runway workers.
Residents of the normally peaceful neighborhood were shaken by the crash, with many expressing their shock and sadness. Lourdes da Silva Astolfo, 67, who lives near the crash site, said the impact was like a "rumbling tremor" that was followed by "horrified screams" from her neighbors.