"All 61 people on board killed in Brazilian plane crash."
Arpit Pattnaik
A regional turboprop plane carrying 61 people crashed near Sao Paulo in Brazil on Friday, killing all on board, according to local officials near the crash site.
A video shared on social media showed the ATR-made plane spinning out of control as it plunged behind a cluster of trees near houses, followed by a large plume of black smoke.
City officials in Valinhos, near Vinhedo, confirmed that there were no survivors. Only one home in the local condominium complex was damaged, and none of the residents were hurt.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva addressed the crash, stating, "I have to be the bearer of really bad news," and asked for a minute of silence for the victims.
The airline Voepass stated that the plane, which had taken off from Cascavel in the state of Parana, bound for Sao Paulo's main international airport, crashed in the town of Vinhedo, approximately 80 km (50 miles) northwest of Sao Paulo. The unlisted airline could not provide further information on the cause of the crash.
Minutes after the apparent accident, Sao Paulo's state fire brigade confirmed it was sending seven crews to the crash site.
The aircraft, with the registration PS-VPB, was an ATR 72-500 turboprop, according to the flight tracker FlightRadar24. ATR is jointly owned by Airbus and the Italian aerospace group Leonardo.
