According to the Governor of Santa Catarina’s statement, at least eight people were killed in a hot air balloon accident in southern Brazil.
Twenty-one people were aboard the hot air balloon, Jorginho Mello said. Thirteen people survived the accident, including the pilot.
“All necessary steps to investigate the condition of the aircraft and the crew,” Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) said it is taking.
“A fire started inside the basket, so he started to lower the balloon, and when the balloon was very close to the ground, he told people to jump,” the pilot said.
“They began to jump, but some people did not manage to jump. The flames started to grow, and because of the weight, the balloon began to rise again.”
“The hot air balloon later fell because of a loss of suspension.” Injured people were taken to nearby hospitals.
In the accident hot air balloon, two couples, a mother and daughter, an ophthalmologist, and a figure skater were aboard.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wrote on X, “Solidarity with the families of the victims.”
Pilot’s statement: “A fire started inside the basket, so I began to lower the balloon. When it got very close to the ground, I told people to jump.”
Tiago Luiz Lemos, who is a police officer, said, “The balloon was full of passengers when the fire started inside the basket. The pilot reacted quickly, but some people didn’t have time to jump.”
Eyewitness (Local Resident): “We saw the balloon coming down in flames. People were screaming. It was horrible. Some jumped, some didn’t.”
Survivor’s family member said, “My cousin called us crying. She jumped from the balloon and hurt her leg but survived. She said there was smoke and fire everywhere.”
