Tragic Plane Crash in Vinhedo, São Paulo: All 61 Passengers Confirmed Dead

São Paulo, Brazil (Sarhind Times)

In a devastating incident, a plane carrying 61 passengers crashed in the residential area of Vinhedo, São Paulo, on Thursday. According to reports from BBC, all passengers aboard the aircraft have perished in the crash. The plane, an ATR 72-500 registered as PS-VPB, was operated by Voepass Airlines and was en route from Cascavel to São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport.

The crash occurred under circumstances that remain unclear. The aircraft, capable of carrying up to 74 passengers, reportedly had 62 people on board at the time of the crash, though Voepass later confirmed 61 passengers and four crew members.

Flight tracking data revealed that the plane experienced a sudden drop in altitude just moments before the crash. At 1:21 PM local time, the aircraft was cruising at 17,000 feet before it abruptly lost altitude, descending nearly 17,000 feet in just one minute before crashing. The plane came down in a residential area, damaging several homes, but fortunately, no ground casualties were reported.

Emergency responders, including seven fire brigade teams, military police, and rescue personnel, were swiftly deployed to the scene. Despite their efforts, no survivors were found. The remains of the victims are being collected by teams from the Legal Medical Institute (IML), and the investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.

The Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. The crash site has been cordoned off as authorities work to determine what led to this tragic event.