Eight people are said to have died in a hot air balloon crash in Brazil.
Today (June 21), Jorginho Mello, the governor of Santa Catarina state, verified the heartbreaking news on social media.
He wrote, “Preliminary information indicates that there were 22 people on board,” on Twitter. “So far, we have confirmed eight deaths and two survivors were rescued alive.”
Rescuers are reportedly searching for the other passengers at the scene in Praia Grande, the second-most populated city in the nation on the São Paulo coast.
Since then, the number of survivors has been revised to 13.
Mello penned in a follow-up tweet shared shortly after his initial post: “Accident update: 21 people on board – 8 fatalities, 13 survivors.”
“Our teams continue to provide all necessary support to families and victims.”
“We continue to monitor the situation,” he stated.
According to Reuters, the surviving were sent to local hospitals for immediate medical care.
Officials have weighed in on the matter as well. They said in a statement, “The Santa Catarina Military Fire Department (CBMSC) is currently responding to a balloon crash in the municipality of Praia Grande, in the south of the state, which occurred on the morning of Saturday, June 21.”
“The corporation confirms 4 deaths at the scene and the other victims are being treated, searched for and evaluated by our teams.”
Online clip purports to show the balloon in the air and on fire. The basket containing the occupants, which is also alight, crashes to the ground when it totally deflates.
Only a few days have passed since another hot air balloon accident in Turkey last week left one person dead and 19 injured.
The pilot perished after becoming “stuck under the basket,” according to provincial governor Mehmet Ali Kumbuzoglu.
Elsewhere, Nermin Yildirim Kara, an MP from the province of Hatay, wrote on Twitter, per LBC: “We wish God’s blessings upon our peer who lost his life in the air balloon accident in the Ihlara Valley of Aksaray province, and a speedy recovery to those who have been injured.”
It is reported that a sudden change in wind conditions caused the balloon to encounter difficulties.
