An airplane carrying 57 passengers and 4 crew members has crashed in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state, killing everyone on board, the worst airline incident in the Country since 2007.
The aircraft, an ATR 72-500 operated by Voepass airline, was traveling from Cascavel in southern Parana state to Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos international airport when it crashed in the city of Vinhedo.
Voepass initially said the plane was carrying 58 passengers, but a statement on the airline’s website later revised the figure to 57.
Images broadcast on local media showed a large plane spinning as it plummeted almost vertically, while other footage showed a large column of smoke rising from the crash site in what appeared to be a residential area.
“There were no survivors,” the city government in Valinhos — which was involved in the rescue and recovery operation in nearby Vinhedo
Vinhedo, with about 76,000 residents, is located approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of Sao Paulo.
“Recovery of the victims’ remains for identification has begun and will continue throughout the night,” Sao Paulo State Governor Tarcisio de Freitas told reporters at the scene.
