10-8-2024 (SÃO PAULO) A devastating aircraft accident has sent shockwaves through Brazil, as a passenger plane crashed in the city of Vinhedo, São Paulo state, on Friday, resulting in the loss of all 61 individuals on board.
The ill-fated flight, operated by Voepass airline, was en route from Cascavel in Paraná state to São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport when tragedy struck. The aircraft, an ATR 72-500 turboprop, plummeted to the ground in what eyewitnesses described as a nearly vertical descent.
Voepass initially reported that Flight 2283 was carrying 58 passengers, but later revised this figure to 57, in addition to four crew members. The airline confirmed the grim news in a statement, saying, “There were no survivors.”
Harrowing footage broadcast by local media outlets showed the aircraft spiralling downwards before impact. The crash site, located in what appears to be a residential area of Vinhedo, was marked by a large column of smoke visible from afar.
Tragic development : Voepass Flight 2283, an ATR 72-500 passenger plane registered as PS-VPB, crashes in Vinhedo, Brazil, for reason unknown. No survivors as of now.
????João Vinícius @joaoviniciuslol#aircraft #accident #crash pic.twitter.com/4WUfSpqMAf
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) August 9, 2024
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, speaking at an event in Santa Catarina state, called for a moment of silence to honour the victims before official confirmation of the death toll. The city government of nearby Valinhos, which assisted in the rescue and recovery efforts, stated that bodies were being transported to the local morgue.
Voepass has pledged full cooperation with authorities to determine the cause of the accident and assured that it would provide comprehensive assistance to the families of the victims. The airline emphasised that the aircraft had taken off “without any flight restrictions, with all its systems operational.”
ATR, the Franco-Italian manufacturer of the aircraft and an Airbus subsidiary, has announced that its experts are working closely with investigators to uncover the reasons behind this catastrophic event.
Sensitive Video Footage : Viewers Discretion Advised.
The aerial footage shows that the ATR 72-500 Turboprop crashed in the middle of the residential area of the Valinhos (SP).
The mayor’s office of the Brazilian city of Valinhos confirms that there are no survivors among the… https://t.co/4yglpL98D8 pic.twitter.com/1aCCmjAzw4
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) August 9, 2024
Eyewitness accounts paint a chilling picture of the moments leading up to the crash. Nathalie Cicari, a local resident, told CNN Brasil, “I was having lunch when I heard a very loud noise very close by. I went out on the balcony and saw the plane spinning. Within seconds, I realised that it was not a normal movement for a plane.”
Another witness, Ricardo Rodrigues, described the grim scene to Band News, saying, “I arrived at the scene and saw many bodies on the ground – many of them.”
Emergency services, including firefighters, military police, and state civil defence units, swiftly responded to the crash site. Authorities have reported that the aircraft’s black box has been recovered, potentially preserved, which could prove crucial in understanding the circumstances that led to this tragedy.
