A tragic plane crash in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state claimed the lives of all 57 passengers and four crew members on board, local officials confirmed on Friday.
The aircraft, a French-made ATR 72-500 operated by Voepass airline, was en route from Cascavel in Parana state to Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport when it crashed in the city of Vinhedo.
Local media broadcasted shocking images of the plane nosediving at high speed and a large column of smoke rising from what appeared to be a residential area. The city government of Valinhos, which participated in the rescue and recovery efforts, confirmed in a statement that there were no survivors.
Vinhedo, a city with around 76,000 residents, is situated approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of Sao Paulo.
Before the official death toll was announced, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed his condolences during an event, noting that it appeared there were no survivors.
“A plane just crashed in the city of Vinhedo in Sao Paulo, with 58 passengers and four crew members, and it seems that everyone died,” Lula said during his speech in Itajai, Santa Catarina state.
Voepass released a statement acknowledging the accident involving flight 2283, though the exact cause of the crash remains unclear.
Sao Paulo’s fire department confirmed via social media that seven teams were involved in the response efforts but provided no further details.
Nathalie Cicari, a resident near the crash site, described the terrifying impact to CNN Brasil. “I was having lunch when I heard a very loud noise close by,” she said, likening the sound to a loud drone.
When she looked out, she saw the plane spinning erratically before it crashed. Cicari, unharmed but forced to evacuate her home due to the black smoke filling the area, was among the many locals affected by the disaster.
Firefighters, military police, and state civil defense teams were quickly deployed to the Capela neighborhood in Vinhedo.
The ill-fated plane had first flown in April 2010, according to the website planespotters.net.
