At least killed as hot air balloon crashes in Brazil
At least eight people have been killed after a hot air balloon carrying 21 passengers crashed in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, local and state officials say.
Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon, which was in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande.
A video on social media shows two people falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft.
Thirteen survivors were transported to nearby hospitals, according to the fire department.
Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled towards the ground.
The crash happened about 8am Saturday local time, military firefighter Zevir Cipriano said.
A fire started in the basket, prompting the pilot to try to land the balloon.
Thirteen people, including the pilot, managed to jump out but eight were unable to. Without the weight of the others, the balloon began rising again.
"These people ended up dying - four charred and another four jumped out of the balloon when it was falling," Cipriano Jr said.
Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on X.
"It hurts the soul."
"We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, why it happened. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can," Governor Jorginho Mello said in a video on X.
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with victims' families and said he was placing the federal government at the disposal of victims and local authorities.
Mello said he had asked authorities to head to the municipality "to do as much as possible to rescue, to help, to take to hospital, to comfort the families".
The balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, G1 said, with the balloon reaching 1000 metres and cost 550 reais (about $A150) per passenger.
Sobrevoar, the company responsible for the multi-coloured balloon, said it complied with all regulations and had a clean accident record before Saturday.
Praia Grande is a common destination for hot air ballooning, a popular activity in some parts of Brazil's south during June festivities that celebrate Catholic saints such as Saint John.
Last Sunday, a balloon fell in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 others, G1 reported.
with AP
At least eight people have been killed after a hot air balloon carrying 21 passengers crashed in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, local and state officials say.
Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon, which was in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande.
A video on social media shows two people falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft.
Thirteen survivors were transported to nearby hospitals, according to the fire department.
Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled towards the ground.
The crash happened about 8am Saturday local time, military firefighter Zevir Cipriano said.
A fire started in the basket, prompting the pilot to try to land the balloon.
Thirteen people, including the pilot, managed to jump out but eight were unable to. Without the weight of the others, the balloon began rising again.
"These people ended up dying - four charred and another four jumped out of the balloon when it was falling," Cipriano Jr said.
Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on X.
"It hurts the soul."
"We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, why it happened. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can," Governor Jorginho Mello said in a video on X.
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with victims' families and said he was placing the federal government at the disposal of victims and local authorities.
Mello said he had asked authorities to head to the municipality "to do as much as possible to rescue, to help, to take to hospital, to comfort the families".
The balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, G1 said, with the balloon reaching 1000 metres and cost 550 reais (about $A150) per passenger.
Sobrevoar, the company responsible for the multi-coloured balloon, said it complied with all regulations and had a clean accident record before Saturday.
Praia Grande is a common destination for hot air ballooning, a popular activity in some parts of Brazil's south during June festivities that celebrate Catholic saints such as Saint John.
Last Sunday, a balloon fell in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 others, G1 reported.
with AP
At least eight people have been killed after a hot air balloon carrying 21 passengers crashed in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, local and state officials say.
Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon, which was in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande.
A video on social media shows two people falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft.
Thirteen survivors were transported to nearby hospitals, according to the fire department.
Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled towards the ground.
The crash happened about 8am Saturday local time, military firefighter Zevir Cipriano said.
A fire started in the basket, prompting the pilot to try to land the balloon.
Thirteen people, including the pilot, managed to jump out but eight were unable to. Without the weight of the others, the balloon began rising again.
"These people ended up dying - four charred and another four jumped out of the balloon when it was falling," Cipriano Jr said.
Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on X.
"It hurts the soul."
"We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, why it happened. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can," Governor Jorginho Mello said in a video on X.
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with victims' families and said he was placing the federal government at the disposal of victims and local authorities.
Mello said he had asked authorities to head to the municipality "to do as much as possible to rescue, to help, to take to hospital, to comfort the families".
The balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, G1 said, with the balloon reaching 1000 metres and cost 550 reais (about $A150) per passenger.
Sobrevoar, the company responsible for the multi-coloured balloon, said it complied with all regulations and had a clean accident record before Saturday.
Praia Grande is a common destination for hot air ballooning, a popular activity in some parts of Brazil's south during June festivities that celebrate Catholic saints such as Saint John.
Last Sunday, a balloon fell in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 others, G1 reported.
with AP
At least eight people have been killed after a hot air balloon carrying 21 passengers crashed in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, local and state officials say.
Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon, which was in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande.
A video on social media shows two people falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft.
Thirteen survivors were transported to nearby hospitals, according to the fire department.
Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled towards the ground.
The crash happened about 8am Saturday local time, military firefighter Zevir Cipriano said.
A fire started in the basket, prompting the pilot to try to land the balloon.
Thirteen people, including the pilot, managed to jump out but eight were unable to. Without the weight of the others, the balloon began rising again.
"These people ended up dying - four charred and another four jumped out of the balloon when it was falling," Cipriano Jr said.
Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on X.
"It hurts the soul."
"We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, why it happened. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can," Governor Jorginho Mello said in a video on X.
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with victims' families and said he was placing the federal government at the disposal of victims and local authorities.
Mello said he had asked authorities to head to the municipality "to do as much as possible to rescue, to help, to take to hospital, to comfort the families".
The balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, G1 said, with the balloon reaching 1000 metres and cost 550 reais (about $A150) per passenger.
Sobrevoar, the company responsible for the multi-coloured balloon, said it complied with all regulations and had a clean accident record before Saturday.
Praia Grande is a common destination for hot air ballooning, a popular activity in some parts of Brazil's south during June festivities that celebrate Catholic saints such as Saint John.
Last Sunday, a balloon fell in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 others, G1 reported.
with AP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Coming out an 'indelible memory' with lasting impacts
Coming out as LGBTQI to friends and family can be one of the most vulnerable times in a person's life. Despite growing acceptance culturally, research shows almost half - 49 per cent - of young people who come out experience heartbreaking parental rejection. James Wright was 19 years old when he decided to tell his mum and dad he was gay. Now 46, the memory of that experience remains clear. "I would say for all gay people, coming out becomes an indelible memory, whether it's a good or bad experience," he told AAP. "I came out to mum and dad separately, within a few weeks of each other, and it really shocked me the difference in their response." Mr Wright's father, a devout Catholic with Italian heritage, was completely accepting. "He said loving his son was the priority over adhering to what the Catholic Church told him," Mr Wright said. "It brought us so much closer together ... I felt relieved and that he made it so easy was so beautiful." His mother, who Mr Wright had expected to be more accepting, did not respond the same way. "She was horrified," he said. "We've not had a great relationship since then." Almost 45 per cent of LGBTQI youth experience high or very high levels of psychological distress and almost half (48 per cent) have seriously considered suicide - more than three times the rate of their heterosexual peers. The impact of rejection could be particularly devastating for young people beginning to understand and explore their identities, Online Psychologists Australia clinical psychologist Michelle Olaithe said. "We are seeing increasing numbers of youth questioning their sexuality or gender, reaching out to us out of fear of a lack of acceptance from the adults in their life, or are already facing discrimination and prejudice," she said. "The impacts of this experience can continue to be damaging for the rest of their lives if they do not get support." Three in four LGBTQI people have experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lives. This is not due to a predisposition to poor mental health within the community but rather stigma, discrimination and a lack of acceptance, particularly from those closest to them. Many people did not realise just how much their first reaction impacted someone who has come out to them, Online Psychologists Australia chief executive Sarah Richardson said. "The truth is, when someone comes out to you, they're opening up in an incredibly vulnerable way - they're not just telling you something personal, they're asking for acceptance and for safety," she said. "The best response is to lead with love: say 'thank you for trusting me', tell them you support them. "You don't need to have all the answers. Just being warm, open and non-judgmental can mean everything in that moment." The psychologists' platform has released a free guide for parents, teachers, carers and friends as part of Pride Month, celebrated each June. The guide includes tips on what to say and what not to say, how to be a "safe person" and how to support someone after they come out. "This guide is for people who care but maybe aren't sure how to respond when someone comes out," Ms Richardson said. "It's here to take the fear and awkwardness out of that moment and replace it with empathy and confidence." Mr Wright said he had one piece of advice for the parents of LGBTQI children. "My advice to parents would be to be brave," he said. "If you have your suspicions, choose a safe time to raise it, because the child or young adult is probably aching for you to give them permission to talk about it. "It's your responsibility as a parent to have these conversations and gently give them that opportunity." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Coming out as LGBTQI to friends and family can be one of the most vulnerable times in a person's life. Despite growing acceptance culturally, research shows almost half - 49 per cent - of young people who come out experience heartbreaking parental rejection. James Wright was 19 years old when he decided to tell his mum and dad he was gay. Now 46, the memory of that experience remains clear. "I would say for all gay people, coming out becomes an indelible memory, whether it's a good or bad experience," he told AAP. "I came out to mum and dad separately, within a few weeks of each other, and it really shocked me the difference in their response." Mr Wright's father, a devout Catholic with Italian heritage, was completely accepting. "He said loving his son was the priority over adhering to what the Catholic Church told him," Mr Wright said. "It brought us so much closer together ... I felt relieved and that he made it so easy was so beautiful." His mother, who Mr Wright had expected to be more accepting, did not respond the same way. "She was horrified," he said. "We've not had a great relationship since then." Almost 45 per cent of LGBTQI youth experience high or very high levels of psychological distress and almost half (48 per cent) have seriously considered suicide - more than three times the rate of their heterosexual peers. The impact of rejection could be particularly devastating for young people beginning to understand and explore their identities, Online Psychologists Australia clinical psychologist Michelle Olaithe said. "We are seeing increasing numbers of youth questioning their sexuality or gender, reaching out to us out of fear of a lack of acceptance from the adults in their life, or are already facing discrimination and prejudice," she said. "The impacts of this experience can continue to be damaging for the rest of their lives if they do not get support." Three in four LGBTQI people have experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lives. This is not due to a predisposition to poor mental health within the community but rather stigma, discrimination and a lack of acceptance, particularly from those closest to them. Many people did not realise just how much their first reaction impacted someone who has come out to them, Online Psychologists Australia chief executive Sarah Richardson said. "The truth is, when someone comes out to you, they're opening up in an incredibly vulnerable way - they're not just telling you something personal, they're asking for acceptance and for safety," she said. "The best response is to lead with love: say 'thank you for trusting me', tell them you support them. "You don't need to have all the answers. Just being warm, open and non-judgmental can mean everything in that moment." The psychologists' platform has released a free guide for parents, teachers, carers and friends as part of Pride Month, celebrated each June. The guide includes tips on what to say and what not to say, how to be a "safe person" and how to support someone after they come out. "This guide is for people who care but maybe aren't sure how to respond when someone comes out," Ms Richardson said. "It's here to take the fear and awkwardness out of that moment and replace it with empathy and confidence." Mr Wright said he had one piece of advice for the parents of LGBTQI children. "My advice to parents would be to be brave," he said. "If you have your suspicions, choose a safe time to raise it, because the child or young adult is probably aching for you to give them permission to talk about it. "It's your responsibility as a parent to have these conversations and gently give them that opportunity." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Coming out as LGBTQI to friends and family can be one of the most vulnerable times in a person's life. Despite growing acceptance culturally, research shows almost half - 49 per cent - of young people who come out experience heartbreaking parental rejection. James Wright was 19 years old when he decided to tell his mum and dad he was gay. Now 46, the memory of that experience remains clear. "I would say for all gay people, coming out becomes an indelible memory, whether it's a good or bad experience," he told AAP. "I came out to mum and dad separately, within a few weeks of each other, and it really shocked me the difference in their response." Mr Wright's father, a devout Catholic with Italian heritage, was completely accepting. "He said loving his son was the priority over adhering to what the Catholic Church told him," Mr Wright said. "It brought us so much closer together ... I felt relieved and that he made it so easy was so beautiful." His mother, who Mr Wright had expected to be more accepting, did not respond the same way. "She was horrified," he said. "We've not had a great relationship since then." Almost 45 per cent of LGBTQI youth experience high or very high levels of psychological distress and almost half (48 per cent) have seriously considered suicide - more than three times the rate of their heterosexual peers. The impact of rejection could be particularly devastating for young people beginning to understand and explore their identities, Online Psychologists Australia clinical psychologist Michelle Olaithe said. "We are seeing increasing numbers of youth questioning their sexuality or gender, reaching out to us out of fear of a lack of acceptance from the adults in their life, or are already facing discrimination and prejudice," she said. "The impacts of this experience can continue to be damaging for the rest of their lives if they do not get support." Three in four LGBTQI people have experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lives. This is not due to a predisposition to poor mental health within the community but rather stigma, discrimination and a lack of acceptance, particularly from those closest to them. Many people did not realise just how much their first reaction impacted someone who has come out to them, Online Psychologists Australia chief executive Sarah Richardson said. "The truth is, when someone comes out to you, they're opening up in an incredibly vulnerable way - they're not just telling you something personal, they're asking for acceptance and for safety," she said. "The best response is to lead with love: say 'thank you for trusting me', tell them you support them. "You don't need to have all the answers. Just being warm, open and non-judgmental can mean everything in that moment." The psychologists' platform has released a free guide for parents, teachers, carers and friends as part of Pride Month, celebrated each June. The guide includes tips on what to say and what not to say, how to be a "safe person" and how to support someone after they come out. "This guide is for people who care but maybe aren't sure how to respond when someone comes out," Ms Richardson said. "It's here to take the fear and awkwardness out of that moment and replace it with empathy and confidence." Mr Wright said he had one piece of advice for the parents of LGBTQI children. "My advice to parents would be to be brave," he said. "If you have your suspicions, choose a safe time to raise it, because the child or young adult is probably aching for you to give them permission to talk about it. "It's your responsibility as a parent to have these conversations and gently give them that opportunity." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Coming out as LGBTQI to friends and family can be one of the most vulnerable times in a person's life. Despite growing acceptance culturally, research shows almost half - 49 per cent - of young people who come out experience heartbreaking parental rejection. James Wright was 19 years old when he decided to tell his mum and dad he was gay. Now 46, the memory of that experience remains clear. "I would say for all gay people, coming out becomes an indelible memory, whether it's a good or bad experience," he told AAP. "I came out to mum and dad separately, within a few weeks of each other, and it really shocked me the difference in their response." Mr Wright's father, a devout Catholic with Italian heritage, was completely accepting. "He said loving his son was the priority over adhering to what the Catholic Church told him," Mr Wright said. "It brought us so much closer together ... I felt relieved and that he made it so easy was so beautiful." His mother, who Mr Wright had expected to be more accepting, did not respond the same way. "She was horrified," he said. "We've not had a great relationship since then." Almost 45 per cent of LGBTQI youth experience high or very high levels of psychological distress and almost half (48 per cent) have seriously considered suicide - more than three times the rate of their heterosexual peers. The impact of rejection could be particularly devastating for young people beginning to understand and explore their identities, Online Psychologists Australia clinical psychologist Michelle Olaithe said. "We are seeing increasing numbers of youth questioning their sexuality or gender, reaching out to us out of fear of a lack of acceptance from the adults in their life, or are already facing discrimination and prejudice," she said. "The impacts of this experience can continue to be damaging for the rest of their lives if they do not get support." Three in four LGBTQI people have experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lives. This is not due to a predisposition to poor mental health within the community but rather stigma, discrimination and a lack of acceptance, particularly from those closest to them. Many people did not realise just how much their first reaction impacted someone who has come out to them, Online Psychologists Australia chief executive Sarah Richardson said. "The truth is, when someone comes out to you, they're opening up in an incredibly vulnerable way - they're not just telling you something personal, they're asking for acceptance and for safety," she said. "The best response is to lead with love: say 'thank you for trusting me', tell them you support them. "You don't need to have all the answers. Just being warm, open and non-judgmental can mean everything in that moment." The psychologists' platform has released a free guide for parents, teachers, carers and friends as part of Pride Month, celebrated each June. The guide includes tips on what to say and what not to say, how to be a "safe person" and how to support someone after they come out. "This guide is for people who care but maybe aren't sure how to respond when someone comes out," Ms Richardson said. "It's here to take the fear and awkwardness out of that moment and replace it with empathy and confidence." Mr Wright said he had one piece of advice for the parents of LGBTQI children. "My advice to parents would be to be brave," he said. "If you have your suspicions, choose a safe time to raise it, because the child or young adult is probably aching for you to give them permission to talk about it. "It's your responsibility as a parent to have these conversations and gently give them that opportunity." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- The Advertiser
At least killed as hot air balloon crashes in Brazil
At least eight people have been killed after a hot air balloon carrying 21 passengers crashed in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, local and state officials say. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon, which was in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande. A video on social media shows two people falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft. Thirteen survivors were transported to nearby hospitals, according to the fire department. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled towards the ground. The crash happened about 8am Saturday local time, military firefighter Zevir Cipriano said. A fire started in the basket, prompting the pilot to try to land the balloon. Thirteen people, including the pilot, managed to jump out but eight were unable to. Without the weight of the others, the balloon began rising again. "These people ended up dying - four charred and another four jumped out of the balloon when it was falling," Cipriano Jr said. Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on X. "It hurts the soul." "We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, why it happened. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can," Governor Jorginho Mello said in a video on X. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with victims' families and said he was placing the federal government at the disposal of victims and local authorities. Mello said he had asked authorities to head to the municipality "to do as much as possible to rescue, to help, to take to hospital, to comfort the families". The balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, G1 said, with the balloon reaching 1000 metres and cost 550 reais (about $A150) per passenger. Sobrevoar, the company responsible for the multi-coloured balloon, said it complied with all regulations and had a clean accident record before Saturday. Praia Grande is a common destination for hot air ballooning, a popular activity in some parts of Brazil's south during June festivities that celebrate Catholic saints such as Saint John. Last Sunday, a balloon fell in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 others, G1 reported. with AP At least eight people have been killed after a hot air balloon carrying 21 passengers crashed in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, local and state officials say. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon, which was in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande. A video on social media shows two people falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft. Thirteen survivors were transported to nearby hospitals, according to the fire department. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled towards the ground. The crash happened about 8am Saturday local time, military firefighter Zevir Cipriano said. A fire started in the basket, prompting the pilot to try to land the balloon. Thirteen people, including the pilot, managed to jump out but eight were unable to. Without the weight of the others, the balloon began rising again. "These people ended up dying - four charred and another four jumped out of the balloon when it was falling," Cipriano Jr said. Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on X. "It hurts the soul." "We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, why it happened. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can," Governor Jorginho Mello said in a video on X. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with victims' families and said he was placing the federal government at the disposal of victims and local authorities. Mello said he had asked authorities to head to the municipality "to do as much as possible to rescue, to help, to take to hospital, to comfort the families". The balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, G1 said, with the balloon reaching 1000 metres and cost 550 reais (about $A150) per passenger. Sobrevoar, the company responsible for the multi-coloured balloon, said it complied with all regulations and had a clean accident record before Saturday. Praia Grande is a common destination for hot air ballooning, a popular activity in some parts of Brazil's south during June festivities that celebrate Catholic saints such as Saint John. Last Sunday, a balloon fell in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 others, G1 reported. with AP At least eight people have been killed after a hot air balloon carrying 21 passengers crashed in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, local and state officials say. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon, which was in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande. A video on social media shows two people falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft. Thirteen survivors were transported to nearby hospitals, according to the fire department. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled towards the ground. The crash happened about 8am Saturday local time, military firefighter Zevir Cipriano said. A fire started in the basket, prompting the pilot to try to land the balloon. Thirteen people, including the pilot, managed to jump out but eight were unable to. Without the weight of the others, the balloon began rising again. "These people ended up dying - four charred and another four jumped out of the balloon when it was falling," Cipriano Jr said. Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on X. "It hurts the soul." "We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, why it happened. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can," Governor Jorginho Mello said in a video on X. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with victims' families and said he was placing the federal government at the disposal of victims and local authorities. Mello said he had asked authorities to head to the municipality "to do as much as possible to rescue, to help, to take to hospital, to comfort the families". The balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, G1 said, with the balloon reaching 1000 metres and cost 550 reais (about $A150) per passenger. Sobrevoar, the company responsible for the multi-coloured balloon, said it complied with all regulations and had a clean accident record before Saturday. Praia Grande is a common destination for hot air ballooning, a popular activity in some parts of Brazil's south during June festivities that celebrate Catholic saints such as Saint John. Last Sunday, a balloon fell in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 others, G1 reported. with AP At least eight people have been killed after a hot air balloon carrying 21 passengers crashed in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, local and state officials say. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon, which was in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande. A video on social media shows two people falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft. Thirteen survivors were transported to nearby hospitals, according to the fire department. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled towards the ground. The crash happened about 8am Saturday local time, military firefighter Zevir Cipriano said. A fire started in the basket, prompting the pilot to try to land the balloon. Thirteen people, including the pilot, managed to jump out but eight were unable to. Without the weight of the others, the balloon began rising again. "These people ended up dying - four charred and another four jumped out of the balloon when it was falling," Cipriano Jr said. Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on X. "It hurts the soul." "We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, why it happened. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can," Governor Jorginho Mello said in a video on X. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with victims' families and said he was placing the federal government at the disposal of victims and local authorities. Mello said he had asked authorities to head to the municipality "to do as much as possible to rescue, to help, to take to hospital, to comfort the families". The balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, G1 said, with the balloon reaching 1000 metres and cost 550 reais (about $A150) per passenger. Sobrevoar, the company responsible for the multi-coloured balloon, said it complied with all regulations and had a clean accident record before Saturday. Praia Grande is a common destination for hot air ballooning, a popular activity in some parts of Brazil's south during June festivities that celebrate Catholic saints such as Saint John. Last Sunday, a balloon fell in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 others, G1 reported. with AP
Sydney Morning Herald
16 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
When it comes to talking to teens about sex, this is the approach to avoid
This story is part of the June 22 edition of Sunday Life. See all 15 stories. I remember my sex education vividly. We did a bit in biology lessons about the basic anatomy of male and female genitalia, which, since I attended a Catholic girls day school, was just about as basic as it was possible to be. I can still see our poor biology teacher to this day, some 45 years later. She was, at that point, about eight-and-a-half months' pregnant, and she stood with her hands behind her back, leaning against a wall, eyes fixed firmly on the floor, going more and more pink as she spoke. 'Sexual intercourse,' she said firmly, 'only happens inside the bounds of matrimony. And only to a loving couple, with the intention of having a baby.' That was absolutely it. Nothing about contraception, protection or consent. Nothing about how sex actually worked. When I met my first boyfriend, at the age of 18, I literally didn't have a clue about anything. I knew nothing about the logistics of sex and intimacy. I was completely unprepared. As for the idea that sex might be pleasurable, that was never spoken about. Things have changed since then, thank goodness. But, even in the 2020s, the way we talk about sex to our teenagers is still sadly lacking, and often leaves them in a state of confusion. In many cases, when we talk about intercourse, we're essentially talking about sex prevention. It is about anticipating what might go wrong – the unwanted pregnancies and the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). If you are lucky enough to have any discussion about sex in your school, then all too often it is only about how to put a condom on correctly. Loading While my own children's conversations about sex at school were a lot better than my convent experience, they still did not equip them with a positive understanding of their sexual awakening. They were taught how not to have sex because of the lurking dangers, and how to use contraception. Quite often, the information came tinged with the same semi-Christian morality that coloured my own upbringing. The difficulty with this approach is that teenagers do have sex, and if your only strategy is to try and stop them, then it is doomed to fail. What's more, today's teenagers are surrounded by online images of sex and sexualised behaviour. Not a day goes by without some news story on the unregulated spread of pornography, or how sexualised images on social media are leading children into darker and darker territory. I've heard stories about nine-year-olds who have watched pornography without having the first understanding of how their bodies work or what they are watching.
