Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 05:21 pm
Feared dead are all 61 on board – 57 passengers and four crew members – in a devastating plane crash into a thickly-populated residential area of São Paulo, Brazil. The VoePass ATR 72-500 jet spiraled out of control, then crashed in a residential neighborhood and spewed flaming wreckage, sending plumes of black smoke billowing in the air above it.
The videos on social media really show the harrowing moment when the plane fell from the sky, spinning out of control to the ground. Its last known tracking by FlightRadar24 indicated that it was at 4,100 feet while approaching São Paulo.
The scene, according to witnesses, was horrific. Martins Barbosa, a truck driver who was very close to the area at the time, recalled his account of this tragedy. Nathalie Cicari, another witness, said CNN Brasil the impact was “terrifying,” with the noise described as a loud buzz, like that from a drone.
VoePass, one of the oldest airlines in Brazil, has confirmed the accident and is cooperating with authorities to establish the cause. Recovered is also the black box, which shall be important for the ongoing investigation. The crash was one of the deadliest aviation accidents of the year 2007, and recovery is yet to be complete as investigators are trying to identify the victims.