In the tourist city of Gramado in southern Brazil, a small plane carrying 10 people crashed into a store in the city center on Sunday, December 22. Initial reports indicate that there were no survivors on the plane. At least 17 people on the ground were also injured.
Eduardo Leite, the Governor of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, stated that the owner and pilot of the plane, Luiz Claudio Galeazzi, along with nine other passengers, died in the crash. These passengers were all his family members.
Leite mentioned in a press conference that in addition to the fatalities, 17 people were injured at the scene, with 12 still receiving treatment in the hospital, including two in critical condition.
The twin-engine Piper PA-42-1000 plane was manufactured in 1990. The Governor mentioned that on Sunday morning shortly past 9 a.m. local time, the aircraft took off from the nearby Canela airport and was flying to Jundiai in the state of Sao Paulo under unfavorable weather conditions.
Leite stated that the Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Center (Cenipa) is investigating the cause of the crash.
Authorities reported that the plane was said to have first struck a chimney of a building, then hit the second floor of a house, and finally crashed into a furniture store. Debris was also scattered to a nearby hotel.
Gramado is situated in a mountainous region and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Rio Grande do Sul state. Earlier this year, the state experienced severe destruction from unprecedented floods, resulting in the loss of dozens of lives, infrastructure damage, and a significant impact on the state’s economy.
This accident occurred just a few days before Christmas. The holiday season is a particularly busy time for this city, which traditionally decorates and holds festive events.
(This article referenced reports from CNN and Reuters.)