A tragic hot-air balloon accident claimed at least eight lives on Saturday in southern Brazil, as flames engulfed a balloon carrying 21 passengers, according to Santa Catarina state governor Jorginho Mello.
The incident, which unfolded near the popular tourist destination of Praia Grande on the Atlantic coast, marks Brazil’s second deadly balloon crash in less than a week.
“Eight fatalities and 13 survivors,” Governor Mello confirmed on X.
Dramatic footage aired by Brazilian television, captured by nearby witnesses, revealed the horrifying moment the balloon burst into flames midair.
The basket, consumed by fire, plunged dozens of meters to the ground, while some passengers could be seen leaping from it in a desperate bid to survive.
Local firefighters reported that the 13 survivors were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Among them, five were admitted to Our Lady of Fatima hospital, where officials said three sustained only minor injuries and were in stable condition, while two had already been discharged. Updates on the condition of the remaining survivors were not immediately released.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine what sparked the disaster. Weather conditions at the time were reportedly favorable, ruling out atmospheric interference.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva offered condolences to the victims’ families, stating, “I want to express my solidarity with the families of the victims.”
Preliminary details from the scene suggest the blaze began when a blowtorch used to fuel the balloon’s main burner ignited within the basket.
“The pilot tried to bring the balloon down as soon as the fire erupted, and once it was close to the ground, he told the passengers to jump from the basket. But some of them couldn’t do it and the fire grew,” explained Tiago Luiz Lemos, a police official in Praia Grande.
Fire department official Zevir Cipriano Junior said four victims were burned to death, while the remaining four succumbed to injuries sustained from the fall.
A bystander quoted by Razao newspaper recounted the chilling scene: “Two people falling, they were on fire, the basket broke off and the balloon fell.”
This devastating incident follows closely on the heels of another fatal balloon mishap in São Paulo state, where a woman lost her life just days earlier.