Tragic Hot-Air Balloon Accident Claims Lives of 8 People: Community in Grief

A tragic incident occurred in Brazil on Saturday morning when a hot-air balloon carrying 21 individuals caught fire and subsequently crashed. The Santa Catarina military fire brigade confirmed that at least eight individuals lost their lives in the accident.

The crash took place in Santa Catarina, a state located in the southern region of Brazil. The fire originated in the basket of the hot-air balloon, leading the pilot to initiate an emergency landing procedure in an effort to avert further disaster, according to official reports.

Footage circulating on social media captured the harrowing scene of the deflated balloon engulfed in black smoke as it descended rapidly towards the ground within a wooded area close to Praia Grande, a town renowned for its popularity in hot-air ballooning activities.

The 13 survivors, including the pilot, were taken to hospitals with unknown injuries. 

Sobrevoar added that it had followed all regulations for the ride and had a clear record previously. It is now suspending its operations indefinitely. 

Around 25 to 30 hot-air balloon trips leave daily from the area, the government said. 

A member of Brazil’s Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA) walks next to the wreckage of a hot-air balloon that caught fire and crashed with 21 people on board in Praia Grande, Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil, Saturday.  (Silvio Avila/AFP via Getty Images)

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with the victims’ families and said the federal government was available to help with the investigation. 

Last Sunday, another hot-air balloon crashed in Brazil’s state of São Paulo, killing one woman and injuring 11 others. 

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.