At least eight ki lled in horrifi

Deadly Hot Air Balloon Crash in Brazil

A tragic hot air balloon accident in Praia Grande, Santa Catarina, Brazil, claimed eight lives and injured thirteen others on the morning of June 21. The balloon, carrying 21 passengers, caught fire midair, forcing an emergency jump.

“According to the pilot, who is one of the survivors, 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,” said officer Tiago Luiz Lemos. Some passengers escaped, but others could not jump in time.

Cause and Eyewitness Accounts

The fire likely began from a backup burner in the basket. The pilot told investigators, “I don’t know if it stayed lit or if it reignited on its own, but it was the torch that started it all.”

Eyewitnesses described the horror: “We saw two people fall on fire,” one resident told Jornal Razao. Another added, “There were two people alive when we got there: a man limping and a woman covered in mud who was in shock.”

Victims and Survivors

The victims included two couples, a mother and daughter, an ophthalmologist, and a figure skater. “Three of the dead were discovered embracing one another,” police chief Ulisses Gabriel shared. “It hurts the soul.”

Survivors were treated at local hospitals. Emergency services rushed to the scene while residents were warned of gas leaks.