A tragic incident unfolded in São Paulo state on Friday afternoon as a passenger plane carrying 62 people crashed near the city of Vinhedo, leaving all aboard presumed dead. The aircraft, an ATR-72 operated by Voepass Linhas Aéreas, was en route from Cascavel in the state of Paraná to Guarulhos, São Paulo, when it met its catastrophic end. The crash has sent shockwaves across Brazil, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva addressing the nation and calling for a moment of silence to honor the lives lost.
The flight, designated as Flight 2283, lost contact with air traffic control shortly before 1:30 p.m. local time. According to data from Flightradar24, the aircraft had been cruising at an altitude of 17,000 feet before a sudden and rapid descent of 4,000 feet within two minutes. The plane's GPS signal was lost soon after, marking the tragic conclusion of its journey.
In a somber address during a naval event in southern Brazil, President Lula broke the news to the nation. "It appears that everyone on board the flight may have died," he stated, urging the audience to stand in silence to commemorate the victims. The President's remarks, though lacking detailed confirmation, reflected the gravity of the situation and the likelihood that there were no survivors.
Dramatic footage of the crash began circulating on social media shortly after the incident. One video captured the horrifying moment when the plane spiraled out of the sky, crashing into a cluster of trees before erupting into flames. Another video showed the aftermath, with the plane's fuselage engulfed in fire, debris scattered across a residential area, and emergency vehicles rushing to the scene. The Civil Defense of Brazil confirmed that the plane had hit multiple houses as it came down, further complicating the rescue efforts.
The Brazilian Air Force has dispatched a team of investigators to the crash site to determine the cause of the disaster. The crash site, located in a residential area of Vinhedo, is now the focus of a meticulous investigation aimed at uncovering what led to the sudden and tragic end of the flight.
Initial reports from the scene were grim. Flames and thick black smoke billowed from the wreckage, and the surrounding area was littered with burning debris. Eyewitnesses described the terror of seeing the plane plunge from the sky, followed by the deafening impact and the immediate inferno that consumed the aircraft.
Voepass Linhas Aéreas, the airline operating the flight, issued a statement acknowledging the crash but stopped short of confirming the fate of those on board. "There is still no confirmation of how the accident occurred or the current situation of the people on board," the airline stated, as they awaited further information from the ongoing investigation.
The incident has cast a shadow over Brazil, with many recalling the country's history of aviation disasters. The ATR-72, a twin-engine turboprop, is commonly used for regional flights in Brazil, and the crash raises fresh concerns about aviation safety in the region. The aircraft involved in the crash was reported to be relatively new, adding to the mystery of what could have gone so catastrophically wrong.
The São Paulo state fire brigade confirmed on social media that seven of its crews were dispatched to the crash site in Vinhedo. Their primary focus has been on controlling the fire and searching for any possible survivors, though hopes dimmed as the hours passed.
