At least eight people were killed and 13 others survived when a hot air balloon crashed in southern Brazil on Saturday, local authorities confirmed. The balloon had 21 people aboard when it caught fire while in the air and crashed to the ground. Governor Jorginho Mello gave the death toll in a statement on X.
Dramatic video footage broadcast by Brazilian TV revealed the basket of the balloon on fire as it dropped dozens of metres from the air. The weather was described as clear when the balloon took to the skies, ruling out any instant speculation regarding environmental conditions. A formal investigation was opened by authorities to uncover the reason behind the inferno.
This is Brazil’s second deadly ballooning accident within a week. A woman was previously killed in a different crash in São Paulo state. Authorities are now under pressure to review safety measures underpinning hot air balloon operations nationwide.