Eight people have died and 13 others injured after a hot air balloon carrying 21 passengers caught fire and crashed in front of stunned onlookers.
The tragedy unfolded in the skies above the city of Praia Grande, in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, on Saturday morning (June 21).
Fire Broke Out Mid-Flight, Pilot Ordered Emergency Jump
The balloon was operated by tour company Sobrevoar Serviços Turísticos, which had complied with all aviation regulations and had no history of accidents, according to the company.
The balloon took off as part of a tour over the popular ballooning destination.
According to police and eyewitness accounts, the fire began inside the balloon’s basket. “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 of the Praia Grande police, per BBC News.
Thirteen people, including the pilot, managed to jump and survive. However, others could not escape in time.
Officer Lemos added: “They started to jump, but some people did not manage to. The flames started to grow and because of the weight, the balloon began to rise again. It later fell because of a loss of suspension.”
Cause of Fire Under Investigation
Chief of police Ulisses Gabriel told Brazilian broadcaster Globo News that the wind at takeoff was strong, requiring several people to stabilize the balloon. “There was a truck pulling the balloon with a cable, which was moving very intensely from side to side,” he said, per the Daily Mail.
Gabriel explained that this movement may have caused a gas leak, resulting in a fire that even flame-retardant materials could not contain.
The pilot told investigators that the fire likely originated from a backup burner stored in the basket. “I don’t know if it stayed lit or if it reignited on its own, but it was the torch that started it all,” he said, via the Jornal Razao.
As the fire spread, some passengers jumped from the balloon. Others remained on board and died either from the flames or from the fall. G1 reported that four of the victims died from burns in the basket and another four died after jumping.
Victims and Survivors
The eight victims included two couples, a mother and daughter, an ophthalmologist, and a figure skater.
Survivors were transported to local hospitals for treatment. Three of the deceased were found embracing each other, according to civil police chief Ulisses Gabriel. “It hurts the soul,” he posted on X.
Residents described the aftermath, with one witness telling Jornal Razao: “We saw two people fall on fire. After the basket broke, the balloon fell completely.” Another said, “When we arrived, there were two people alive, a woman covered in mud, in shock, and a man limping.”
Emergency responders were quickly dispatched. Footage from the scene showed smoke rising from the crash site, and authorities warned locals to stay clear due to the risk of explosion from leaking gas.
Official Response and National Mourning
Santa Catarina governor Jorginho Mello, who was in China at the time, addressed the public in a video. “We are in mourning; what happened is a tragedy,” he said. “We will investigate why this happened. But the important thing now is to do everything possible to reach out to the people and the families.”
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also expressed condolences. “I would like to express my solidarity with the families of the victims of the balloon accident that occurred this Saturday morning in Santa Catarina,” he posted on X. “And I would like to place the Federal Government at the disposal of the victims and the state and municipal forces that are working on the rescue and care for the survivors.”
Praia Grande’s city hall also issued a statement of support, saying: “The City of Praia Grande expresses its solidarity with the families involved in the balloon accident that occurred on the morning of Saturday, 21 June.”
Investigation Underway
Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) has launched an investigation into the condition of the aircraft and the actions of the crew. Santa Catarina’s public safety secretary, Flávio Graff, said the results of the investigation would be made public within 30 days. The pilot has given testimony, and statements will also be collected from survivors.
Sobrevoar Serviços Turísticos has suspended its operations indefinitely. “Unfortunately, even with all necessary precautions and the efforts of our experienced pilot — who followed all recommended procedures and tried to save everyone on board — we are now faced with the pain caused by this tragedy,” the company said in a statement.
Ballooning Under Scrutiny
The crash comes just days after another fatal hot air balloon incident in São Paulo, where a 27-year-old woman died and 11 others were injured.
Ballooning is a popular activity in Brazil’s south, particularly in June when festivals celebrating Catholic saints draw large crowds.
Residents reported that around 30 balloons were in the air in Praia Grande on the morning of the accident, with the doomed balloon among the last to launch. The planned flight was expected to reach over 3,000 feet and last 45 minutes.
Our thoughts go out to everybody impacted by this tragedy.