Girl, 3, and boy, 4, confirmed dead in Brazilian plane crash as rescuers retrieve bodies
The bodies of 34 men and 28 women were recovered, according to the São Paulo government, who said that only two - the pilot and co-pilot - have been identified so far.
The passenger plane crashed outside São Paulo on Friday afternoon, killing everyone on board after dropping 17,000 feet in just one minute – but it is not yet clear why. The flight had left Cascavel, in the Brazilian state of Parana, and was en route to Guarulhos, in São Paulo state.
Dramatic footage circulating on social media showed the plane’s fall and its destroyed fuselage in flames on the ground.
Sao Paulo fire brigade spokesperson Maycon Cristo told CNN that officials are working row by row of the aircraft to retrieve and identify the bodies, which are in conditions that make them difficult to identify.
In order to help identify bodies, families have been asked to share medical documentation of the victims “such as radiological, medical and/or dental exams,” said a statement released by the government of the state of São Paulo.
Details are emerging about was on board. Among those killed are a three-year-old girl and her father, according to the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Santa Catarina, where the man worked.
Regional airline Voepass, who operated the flight, said that all passengers had Brazilian documents while four victims had dual nationality: three Venezuelans and one Portuguese.
The three Venezuelans were a woman, her mother and her 4-year-old son who were traveling with their pet dog.
The State of São Paulo has declared three days of official mourning in honor of the victims who were on the flight from Cascavel, in the Brazilian state of Parana, to Guarulhos, in São Paulo state, when it lost signal.
Preparations are expected to begin Monday for a wake to be held in Cascavel, where the plane took off, according to affiliate CNN Brasil.
CNN’s Marcia Reverdosa, Marcelo Mardeiros, and Vasco Cotovio contributed to this report.
The tragic incident has garnered global attention, as the crashed plane hailed from the Americas. This unfortunate event has left a significant impact on the world community.
