Some 62 people are feared dead after their plane crashed near São Paulo in Brazil.
Voepass Linhas Aereas confirmed 58 passengers and four crew members were travelling in the plane, which footage shows drift downward vertically and spiral as it fell from the sky. The clip showed on TV in the country shows a large area on fire and smoke coming out of what is believed to be a plane fuselage. Additional video on GloboNews captures a plane drifting rapidly from the sky.
At an event, Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva asked for a moment of silence from a crowd in the wake of the tragedy. He said it appeared everyone aboard the plane had perished in the accident.
The local fire service confirmed the plane fell to the ground near Vinhedo. Airline Voepass Linhas Aereas is yet to confirm how many passengers have died and have been injured, it says 62 people were on the aeroplane. It is unclear what caused it to plunge to the ground.
The airline said in a statement: “The aircraft took off from Cascavel-PR bound for Guarulhos Airport, with 58 passengers and four crew members on board. VOEPASS has taken all measures to support those involved.
“There is still no confirmation of how the accident occurred or the current situation of the people on board. The Company is providing support via telephone at 0800 9419712, available 24 hours a day, providing information to all its passengers, family members and employees.”
