Plane crash in Vinedu: Brazil’s president declared mourning
10 august 2024 в 02:50
At a briefing on Friday afternoon, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said, «I have to bring very bad news» and called for a minute of silence in honor of the 58 passengers and four crew members aboard the plane that crashed in Vinhedo, northwest of São Paulo.
The cause of the crash is unknown, he said, but added, «Apparently, everyone has died».
In a post on the social network Voepass, a regional airline headquartered in the state of São Paulo, confirmed that its plane, flight 2283, had crashed. The plane took off from Cascavel, a Brazilian city near the southern border of the country with Paraguay and Argentina, and was heading to Guarulhos, near São Paulo, Voepass said in its post.
FlightAware data showed that the plane with two turboprop engines ATR-72 took off at 11:50 local time and was supposed to land a few minutes before 14:00.
One woman in Vinhedo, Brazil, said she heard the plane before she saw it.
«I heard a very loud noise, very close to me. I thought it was a drone. I looked up and saw the plane spinning», - Natalie Sicari told CNN.
Another eyewitness, Felipe Magalhães, told Reuters that he heard the plane as it was falling. Speaking in Portuguese, he said that he looked out the window as soon as the plane crashed. He rushed to the crash site, not only to see, but also to try to help the people around.
«As it fell — I ran out of the house and went to see where it fell, and saw that it crashed into the house of an elderly couple. We also knew them from church. Scared and not knowing what to do, I jumped over the wall», - Magalhães said.
A man who was late for the flight told the Brazilian news agency Globo that at least 10 people were waiting at the wrong gate and missed the flight before takeoff.
«They told me, 'Sir, you will not board this plane, because we have already exceeded the boarding time limit.' I even pressured them a little. 'Sir, put me on this plane, I need to leave,' then he said, 'There is no possibility that I can do, it is to rebook your ticket,'» the unnamed man said
The cause of the crash is unknown, he said, but added, «Apparently, everyone has died».
In a post on the social network Voepass, a regional airline headquartered in the state of São Paulo, confirmed that its plane, flight 2283, had crashed. The plane took off from Cascavel, a Brazilian city near the southern border of the country with Paraguay and Argentina, and was heading to Guarulhos, near São Paulo, Voepass said in its post.
FlightAware data showed that the plane with two turboprop engines ATR-72 took off at 11:50 local time and was supposed to land a few minutes before 14:00.
One woman in Vinhedo, Brazil, said she heard the plane before she saw it.
«I heard a very loud noise, very close to me. I thought it was a drone. I looked up and saw the plane spinning», - Natalie Sicari told CNN.
Another eyewitness, Felipe Magalhães, told Reuters that he heard the plane as it was falling. Speaking in Portuguese, he said that he looked out the window as soon as the plane crashed. He rushed to the crash site, not only to see, but also to try to help the people around.
«As it fell — I ran out of the house and went to see where it fell, and saw that it crashed into the house of an elderly couple. We also knew them from church. Scared and not knowing what to do, I jumped over the wall», - Magalhães said.
A man who was late for the flight told the Brazilian news agency Globo that at least 10 people were waiting at the wrong gate and missed the flight before takeoff.
«They told me, 'Sir, you will not board this plane, because we have already exceeded the boarding time limit.' I even pressured them a little. 'Sir, put me on this plane, I need to leave,' then he said, 'There is no possibility that I can do, it is to rebook your ticket,'» the unnamed man said
© Puhova Marina
