A plane carrying dozens of passengers on board crashed in Brazil's Sao Paulo state on Friday, according to local media. Brazil's TV GloboNews reported that the VoePass flight had 62 people on board. Local firefighters confirmed that the plane went down in the city of Vinhedo but did not provide additional details.
In a statement, the airline VoePass confirmed that a plane bound for Sao Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport crashed with 58 passengers and 4 crew members on board. The statement, however, did not specify the cause of the accident. Firefighters confirmed that the plane went down in the city of Vinhedo but provided no further details at this point.
Major Plane Crash in Brazil
The fire department was sending teams to the crash site. Eerie footage shared by Brazil's GloboNews captured the moment a plane spiraled down from the sky before crashing. "VOEPASS has activated all means to support those involved," a statement from the airline said.
"There is still no confirmation of how the accident occurred or the current situation of the people on board."
Brazilian television network GloboNews aired footage of a large area engulfed in flames with smoke rising from what appeared to be a plane fuselage in a residential neighborhood filled with houses. Additional footage showed the plane descending vertically, spiraling as it fell.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva asked the crowd to stand and observe a minute of silence at an event in southern Brazil.
Brazil's Civil Defense reported that the plane crashed into several houses in a residential area, according to CNN Brasil.
São Paulo federal police informed ABC that one resident was injured as a result of the impact. Hospitals in Vinhedo and Valinhos have been placed on alert to receive any potential casualties.
Officials stated that São Paulo's governor is returning from Vitória to oversee the situation.
Horrific Crash, More Details Awaited About the Reason
The jet was en route from Cascavel to Guarulhos when it crashed. Footage shared by Brazilian media showed a large area ablaze, with smoke rising from what appeared to be a plane's fuselage.
Brazil's airport authority Infraero did not immediately confirm the details when contacted by The Associated Press. No local airlines immediately reported a missing aircraft.
According to the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac), the plane was an ATR-72-500 turboprop with 68 seats, manufactured by French company ATR, one of the world's largest aviation manufacturers.
The jet has a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet and can reach speeds of up to 510 km/h.
