A passenger plane crashes in Brazil
In Brazil's state of São Paulo, a plane crashes. On board were 62 people. Survivors are unlikely. President Lula calls for a moment of silence.
A passenger plane has crashed in Brazil. The aircraft crashed in the city of Vinhedo in the state of São Paulo, the fire department said. There were 62 people on board the plane, according to the airline Voepass: 58 passengers and four crew members. "There is no confirmation yet of how the accident happened or the current situation of the people on board," the airline said on Instagram.
It was unclear if there were any survivors. All on board are likely to have died, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said, and called for a moment of silence. No information was given on the cause of the accident.
The plane, an ATR-72, was flying from Cascavel in the state of Paraná to Guarulhos in São Paulo, the G1 website reported, citing Voepass. São Paulo-Guarulhos is Brazil's largest airport. The São Paulo fire department sent rescue teams to the crash site. Hospitals in Vinhedo are preparing to receive casualties, G1 reported. In addition to the fire department, the civil defense and police are also involved.
The Brazilian broadcaster TV GloboNews showed footage of a large area on fire, with smoke rising from what appeared to be a plane part. Other footage showed a plane falling vertically and spinning.
The plane that crashed was bound for Guarulhos, Brazil's largest airport, from Cascavel in Paraná. The crash site is in Vinhedo, a city in Brazil's state of São Paulo.
