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Brazil Balloon Crash: Passengers Told To Jump Moments Before Devastating Plunge
A hot air balloon carrying 21 passengers caught fire and fell in front of shocked bystanders, resulting in eight fatalities and thirteen injuries.
On Saturday morning, June 21, the catastrophe took place in the sky over Praia Grande, which is located in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina.
Fire Broke Out Mid-Flight, Pilot Ordered Emergency Jump
According to the tour business Sobrevoar Serviços Turísticos, who operated the balloon, it had no prior mishaps and had complied with all flying laws.
As part of a trip above the well-known ballooning site, the balloon took flight.
According to police and eyewitness accounts, the fire began inside the balloon’s basket. “According to the pilot, who is one of the survivors, a fire started inside the basket, so he started to lower the balloon, and when the balloon was very close to the ground he told people to jump,” said officer Tiago Luiz Lemos of the Praia Grande police, per BBC News.
The pilot was one of 13 persons who survived the jump. Others, meanwhile, were unable to flee in time.
Officer Lemos added, “They started to jump, but some people did not manage to. The flames started to grow and because of the weight, the balloon began to rise again. It later fell because of a loss of suspension.”
Cause of Fire Under Investigation
Chief of police Ulisses Gabriel told Brazilian broadcaster Globo News that the wind at takeoff was strong, requiring several people to stabilize the balloon. “There was a truck pulling the balloon with a cable, which was moving very intensely from side to side,” he said, per the Daily Mail.
Gabriel clarified that even flame-retardant materials were unable to put out the fire that may have been sparked by a gas leak from this movement.
The pilot told investigators that the fire likely originated from a backup burner stored in the basket. “I don’t know if it stayed lit or if it reignited on its own, but it was the torch that started it all,” he said, via the Jornal Razao.
Some passengers leaped from the balloon as the fire spread. Others who were still on board perished in the fall or the flames. According to G1, four of the victims passed away after jumping, and another four perished from burns sustained in the basket.
Victims and Survivors
Two couples, a mother and daughter, an ophthalmologist, and a figure skater were among the eight victims.
For medical care, survivors were taken to nearby hospitals. Ulisses Gabriel, the head of civil police, reported that three of the dead were discovered embracing one another. He wrote on X, “It hurts the soul.”
Residents described the aftermath, with one witness telling Jornal Razao, “We saw two people fall on fire. After the basket broke, the balloon fell completely.” Another said, “When we arrived, there were two people alive, a woman covered in mud, in shock, and a man limping.”
Responders from emergency services were sent out right away. Authorities advised residents to avoid the area due to the possibility of an explosion from gas leaks, as evidenced by footage from the incident showing smoke rising from the collision site.
Official Response and National Mourning
Santa Catarina governor Jorginho Mello, who was in China at the time, addressed the public in a video. “We are in mourning; what happened is a tragedy,” he said. “We will investigate why this happened. But the important thing now is to do everything possible to reach out to the people and the families.”
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also expressed condolences. “I would like to express my solidarity with the families of the victims of the balloon accident that occurred this Saturday morning in Santa Catarina,” he posted on X. “And I would like to place the Federal Government at the disposal of the victims and the state and municipal forces that are working on the rescue and care for the survivors.”
Praia Grande’s city hall also issued a statement of support, saying, “The City of Praia Grande expresses its solidarity with the families involved in the balloon accident that occurred on the morning of Saturday, 21 June.”
Investigation Underway
The National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) of Brazil has opened an inquiry into the crew’s behaviour and the aircraft’s state. Flávio Graff, the public safety secretary for Santa Catarina, stated that the investigation’s findings would be released to the public in 30 days. In addition to the pilot’s testimony, survivors’ statements will be gathered.
Sobrevoar Serviços Turísticos has suspended its operations indefinitely. “Unfortunately, even with all necessary precautions and the efforts of our experienced pilot — who followed all recommended procedures and tried to save everyone on board — we are now faced with the pain caused by this tragedy,” the company said in a statement.
Ballooning Under Scrutiny
Days before to this disaster, a 27-year-old woman lost her life and eleven people were hurt in another deadly hot air balloon accident in São Paulo.
In the southern portion of Brazil, ballooning is a popular pastime, especially during June when celebrations honouring Catholic saints attract sizable audiences.
According to locals, on the morning of the tragedy, there were about thirty balloons in the air in Praia Grande, with the doomed balloon being one of the last to take off. It was anticipated that the flight would last 45 minutes and reach above 3,000 feet.
We are thinking of everyone affected by this tragedy.
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