In a heartbreaking tragedy, a plane carrying 61 people crashed in Vinhedo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, leaving no survivors. The airline, Voypass, had initially reported 62 people on board, but later confirmed that the flight included 57 passengers and 4 crew members.
The plane, an ATR 72-500 registered as PS-VPB, was en route to Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo when disaster struck. According to CNN, the aircraft began to lose altitude suddenly, just a minute and a half before the crash. At 1:21 pm local time, the plane was flying at 17,000 feet, but within seconds, it started to drop, losing about 250 feet. The plane briefly climbed 400 feet, but then rapidly descended 2,000 feet, ultimately plummeting nearly 17,000 feet in just one minute before catching fire.
The crash occurred in a residential area near Vinhedo. Remarkably, no one on the ground was injured, although a house in a nearby condo was damaged. Local authorities, including the Valinhos Authority, have confirmed that there were no survivors.
The cause of the crash remains unknown. The flight had departed from Cascavel earlier that day and lost signal at 1:30 pm local time. Despite the devastation, the airline Voepass has yet to determine what led to the tragic event.
In the aftermath of the crash, seven rescue teams, including army and police units, were dispatched to assist with recovery efforts. The Brazilian government also sent teams from the Legal Medical Institute (IML) to recover the bodies. In a statement, Brazilian President Lula da Silva expressed his deep condolences to the families of the victims.
This tragic accident in Vinhedo has shocked the nation and serves as a painful reminder of the risks associated with air travel. As investigations continue, there is hope that the cause of the crash will be uncovered, bringing some measure of closure to the grieving families.
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