A hot-air balloon caught fire and fell from the sky on Saturday in Brazil’s southern state of Santa Catarina, killing eight passengers, according to firefighters.
Brazil’s local media reported two individuals could be seen tumbling through the air in a video posted on social media as the fire spreads on board the airplane.
Thirteen individuals survived and were transported to hospitals, according to Santa Catarina’s military fire department, who also stated that 21 people were on board, including the pilot.
The crash happened at around 8 a.m. local time, said Lt. Col. Zevir Cipriano Jr., a military firefighter. A fire started in the basket, prompting the pilot to try to land the balloon.
Thirteen people, including the pilot, managed to jump out but eight were unable to. Without the weight of the others, the balloon began rising again.
Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina’s civil police force, on X. “It hurts the soul.”
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with victims’ families and said he was placing the federal government at the disposal of victims and local authorities.
Authorities have opened an investigation and the results will be made public within 30 days, Santa Catarina’s public safety secretary Col. Flávio Graff told journalists.
Sobrevoar, the company responsible for the multicolored balloon, said it complied with all regulations and had a clean accident record prior to Saturday.
“Despite all necessary precautions and the efforts of our pilot — who has extensive experience and followed all recommended procedures in an attempt to save everyone on board the balloon — we are suffering from the pain caused by this tragedy,” it said in a statement.
Sobrevoar added that it was suspending all operations for an indefinite period.
Praia Grande is a common destination for hot-air ballooning, a popular activity in parts of southern Brazil.
The area is famous for its dramatic canyon landscapes and is known as the “Brazilian Cappadocia,” a reference to a region in central Turkey famed worldwide for stunning hot-air balloon rides.
