A recent hot air balloon crash in Brazil ended in tragedy.
Eight people didn’t make it, and others were rushed to the hospital. The crash happened on Saturday, June 21, in Praia Grande, a city by the coast in São Paulo.
The governor of Santa Catarina, Jorginho Mello, shared the sad update on X: “Preliminary information indicates that there were 22 people on board,” he penned on Twitter. “So far, we have confirmed eight deaths and two survivors were rescued alive.”
Authorities confirm the number of passengers and fatalities
Not long after the first update, Mello posted again with clearer numbers.
“Accident update: 21 people on board – 8 fatalities, 13 survivors. Our teams continue to provide all necessary support to families and victims. We continue to monitor the situation,” he added.
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Search and rescue efforts begin immediately
Right after the crash, rescue crews rushed over to Praia Grande.
It’s one of the bigger cities in the region, and teams got to work fast, trying to find more passengers. Some were already pulled out alive.
Survivors rushed to hospitals for urgent care
The people who made it out were quickly taken to nearby hospitals.
They needed urgent care, and emergency crews didn’t waste any time getting them there, according to Reuters.
Fire department responds with updates
Officials shared more information soon after the crash.
“The Santa Catarina Military Fire Department (CBMSC) is currently responding to a balloon crash in the municipality of Praia Grande, in the south of the state, which occurred on the morning of Saturday, June 21.”
They also confirmed this: “The corporation confirms 4 deaths at the scene and the other victims are being treated, searched for and evaluated by our teams.”
Shocking footage captures the moment of the crash
Some really heartbreaking video clips started going around online.
You could see the balloon still up in the air, but it was already on fire. Then it suddenly lost shape, and the basket underneath just dropped straight down, also in flames.
This incident follows another recent balloon tragedy
What makes this even more chilling is that another balloon crash had just happened in Turkey not long before.
That one left one person dead and 19 others injured.
Turkish authorities share details about their own incident
Mehmet Ali Kumbuzoglu, the provincial governor, said the pilot lost his life. He got “stuck under the basket.”
An MP, Nermin Yildirim Kara, posted this: “We wish God’s blessings upon our peer who lost his life in the air balloon accident in the Ihlara Valley of Aksaray province, and a speedy recovery to those who have been injured.”
They said wind conditions suddenly changed, which might’ve caused the Turkish crash.
