Latest news with #UlissesGabriel
SBS Australia
3 hours ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Hot air balloon crash in Brazil kills eight people
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. "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.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hot-air balloon in Brazil catches fire and falls from the sky, killing 8 and injuring 13
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A hot-air balloon caught fire and tumbled from the sky on Saturday in Brazil 's southern state of Santa Catarina, killing eight people, firefighters said. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande. On a video on social media, two people can be seen falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft. Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on X. 'It hurts the soul.' Thirteen people survived and were taken to hospitals, Santa Catarina's military fire brigade said, adding that 21 people were on board including the pilot. '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,' Gov. Jorginho Mello said in a video on X. Mello said he has 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.' Brazil's President Luiz Inácio 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. 'According to the pilot, who is one of the survivors, a fire started inside the basket and then he began to lower the balloon. When the balloon was very close to the ground, he ordered people to jump out of the basket,' Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper quoted Praia Grande head police officer Tiago Luiz Lemos as saying. "Some of them didn't manage to jump. The fire increased and the balloon ended up falling,' Lemos added. G1 reported that the balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, with the balloon reaching 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) , and cost 550 reais (around $100) per passenger. Sobrevoar, the company responsible for the multicolored balloon, said it complied with all regulations and had a clean accident record prior to Saturday. 'Despite all necessary precautions and the efforts of our pilot — who has extensive experience and followed all recommended procedures in an attempt to save everyone on board the balloon — we are suffering from the pain caused by this tragedy,' it said in a statement. Sobrevoar added that it was suspending all operations for an indefinite period. Praia Grande is a common destination for hot-air ballooning, a popular activity in parts of southern Brazil. The area is famous for its dramatic canyon landscapes and is known as the 'Brazilian Cappadocia,' a reference to a region in central Turkey famed worldwide for stunning hot-air balloon rides. Last Sunday, a balloon came down in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 other people, G1 reported.
South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Hot-air balloon in Brazil catches fire and falls from the sky, killing 8
A hot-air balloon caught fire and tumbled from the sky on Saturday in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, killing eight people, firefighters said. Advertisement Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande. On a video on social media, two people can be seen falling through the air as the fire spread on board the aircraft. Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on social media, adding: 'It hurts the soul.' Thirteen people survived and were taken to hospitals, Santa Catarina's military fire brigade said, adding that 21 people were on board including the pilot. Advertisement '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 social media.
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Desperate final moments revealed of Brazil hot-air balloon plummet that killed at least eight - as pilot urged people to jump before leaping out himself and surviving
The pilot of the hot-air balloon that caught fire mid-air in southern Brazil today urged passengers to jump before the vessel crashed to the ground and killed eight, it has been revealed. Chief of police of the Santa Catarina state, Ulisses Gabriel, revealed that the wind was 'quite strong' and that several people had to hold the balloon when it first took off. 'There was a truck pulling the balloon with a cable, which was moving very intensely from side to side,' he told Brazilian broadcaster Globo News. Mr Gabriel added that it is possible gas leaked up due to the intense movement, ultimately causing the tarpaulin to burn. 'Despite it being flame-retardant, there was an intense fire. The balloon went up and, after a while, ended up coming down, and that was when 13 people, including the pilot, managed to get out'. But the balloon quickly rose back into the sky, with some passengers still on board. That is when 'people started to get desperate', Mr Gabriel explained, adding how 'some ended up jumping out of the basket. Those who stayed ended up dying from burns'. The devastating crash happened in the Praia Grande region, which is a popular destination for hot-air ballooning. The horrifying crash (pictured) happened today in the country's southern state of Santa Catarina, in its Praia Grande region - a well-known hot air ballooning location Thirteen out of the 21 passengers on board survived, including the pilot. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurled toward the ground. In a separate video circulating on social media, two people can be seen falling through the air as the fire spreads onboard the aircraft. The cause of the accident is still being investigated and rescue teams are on the ground searching for those not accounted for, but Mr Gabriel also said the main hypotheses are currently adverse weather conditions or human error. According to Brazilian outlet Jornal Razao, the pilot believes that the fire reportedly started in a back-up burner stored in the basket. He explained: 'I don't know if it stayed lit or if it reignited on its own, but it was the torch that started it all.' After noticing the flames, he immediately tried to lower the balloon, ordering passengers to jump when the craft got close to the ground. Residents said around 30 balloons were flying in the region on the morning of the accident, with the one that crashed one of the last to take off News outlet G1 reported that the balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, with the balloon reaching over 3000ft. One witness told Jornal Razao earlier today: 'We saw two people fall on fire. After the basket broke, the balloon fell completely.' Another added: When we arrived, there were two people alive, a woman covered in mud, in shock, and a man limping. 'In the pasture, there were two bodies near the horses. The balloon was deeper in the forest, on fire. 'The firefighters asked us to move the cars because it could explode, because of the gas.' One other commented: 'They said it was not even a day to fly. 'Before it fell, it caught fire up high. Two women jumped out and fell onto the rocks on the other side of the city.' Residents said around 30 balloons were flying in the region on the morning of the accident, with the one that crashed one of the last to take off. The coastal Praia Grande area where the shocking accident happened is well-known as a hot air ballooning destination, Brazilian news website G1 reports. The spot in the extreme south of the Santa Catarina state is often referred to Brazilian Cappadocia, for its similarities to the famous tourist ballooning region in Turkey. The state fire department said in a previous 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 four deaths at the scene and the other victims are being treated, searched for and evaluated by our teams.' Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also expressed solidarity with the families and victims of the tragedy. 'I would like to express my solidarity with the families of the victims of the balloon accident that occurred this Saturday morning in Santa Catarina. And I would like to place the Federal Government at the disposal of the victims and the state and municipal forces that are working on the rescue and care for the survivors.' It comes less than a week after a woman died during a hot air balloon ride in the Brazilian city of São Paulo. Juliana Alves Prado Pereira, 27, a psychologist from the Pouso Alegre region of Brazil's Minas Gerais state, was on a trip there with her husband Leandro de Aquino Pereira. More than 30 people were onboard the hot air balloon - and 11 of them were injured.
Global News
10 hours ago
- General
- Global News
Hot air balloon in Brazil catches fire and falls, killing 8 and injuring 13
A hot air balloon caught fire and tumbled from the sky on Saturday in Brazil 's southern state of Santa Catarina, killing eight people, firefighters said. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande. On a video on social media, two people can be seen falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft. Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on X. 'It hurts the soul.' Thirteen people survived and were taken to hospitals, Santa Catarina's military fire brigade said, adding that 21 people were on board including the pilot. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy '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,' Gov. Jorginho Mello said in a video on X. Story continues below advertisement Mello said he has 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.' 'According to the pilot, who is one of the survivors, a fire started inside the basket and then he began to lower the balloon. When the balloon was very close to the ground, he ordered people to jump out of the basket,' Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper quoted Praia Grande head police officer Tiago Luiz Lemos as saying. 'Some of them didn't manage to jump. The fire increased and the balloon ended up falling,' Lemos added. G1 reported that the balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, with the balloon reaching 1000 meters, and cost 550 reais (around C$137) per passenger. 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 St. John, whose feast day is on June 24. Last Sunday, a balloon came down in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 other people, G1 reported.
