SÃO PAULO, Brazil—A passenger plane carrying 58 passengers and four crew members crashed in Brazil on Friday, August 9, 2024, according to a statement from the airline Voepass Linhas Aéreas.
The aircraft, operating as flight 2283, had departed from Cascavel in the state of Paraná and was en route to São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport when it went down near the city of Vinhedo, just outside São Paulo.
The airline has not yet provided information on the cause of the crash or the condition of those on board.
However, local media outlets have reported significant damage, with Brazil’s Civil Defense confirming that the plane struck multiple houses during its descent.
Dramatic footage captured by Brazil’s TV GloboNews showed the plane spiraling out of control before crashing, followed by images of fire and smoke rising from the crash site.
The area surrounding the crash was quickly engulfed in flames, as seen in videos shared on social media.
According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24, the Voepass aircraft lost signal shortly before 1:30 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. ET) as it approached São Paulo.
The cause of the loss of control remains unknown at this time.
In a statement, Voepass Linhas Aéreas expressed deep concern and stated that they are cooperating fully with authorities to determine what led to the crash.
“There is still no confirmation of how the accident occurred or the current situation of the people on board,” the airline said.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, while speaking at an event, referenced the plane crash, saying it “appears” all the passengers have died in the plane crash.
“I would like everyone to stand up so that we can observe a minute of silence because a plane has just crashed in the city of Vinhedo, in São Paulo, with 58 passengers and 4 crew members and it appears they all died,” he said, in a video of his statement posted on social media platforms.
Emergency response teams have been dispatched to the crash site in Vinhedo, where efforts to extinguish the fire and search for survivors are ongoing.
The area has been cordoned off as investigators from Brazil’s Civil Aviation Authority begin their work to uncover the details surrounding this tragic incident.
This is a developing story, and updates will follow as more information becomes available.
