10 Family Members Dead After Brazilian Plane Crashes Into Buildings

A small plane crashed into the southern Brazilian city of Gramado, killing all 10 passengers on board and injuring more than a dozen people on the ground on Sunday. Brazil’s Civil Defence Agency said that the crash happened just minutes after the flight took off.
In an X post, the agency said that the aircraft first hit the chimney of a home and then the second floor of a building before it crashed into a mobile phone shop in a largely residential area.
According to a CNN report, the civil defence for Rio Grande do Sul, at least 17 people were injured, most of them were hospitalised with injuries including smoke inhalation and two were said to be in critical condition. The Governor of Rio Grande do Sul Eduardo Leite said earlier that two of those injured in the crash “seem to be in serious condition due to burns.”
According to the Associated Press (AP), the plane was piloted by Luiz Claudio Galeazzi, a Brazilian businessman who was travelling with his family to Sao Paulo.
In a statement published on LinkedIn, Galeazzi’s company, Galeazzi & Associados, confirmed that the 61-year-old was on the plane, adding that he was travelling with his wife, their three daughters, several other family members and another company employee, who perished in the crash.
Security cameras captured footage of the small Piper plane taking off from Canela Airport, just minutes before it crashed in Gramado, approximately 10 kilometres from the airport.
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Another visual of a small plane crashing (Acidente de avião) in Gramado has been captured in a video.<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gramado?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Gramado</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/RioGrandedoSul?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#RioGrandedoSul</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Brazil?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Brazil</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlaneCrash?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#PlaneCrash</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Acidentedeavi%C3%A3o?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Acidentedeavião</a> <a href=”https://t.co/s9kypSqoEb”>pic.twitter.com/s9kypSqoEb</a>
— Mr. Shaz (@Wh_So_Serious) <a href=”https://twitter.com/Wh_So_Serious/status/1870979580770869696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>December 22, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Gramado, located in the Serra Gaucha mountains, is a popular destination among tourists for its cool weather, hiking trails, and traditional architecture. The town, settled by significant numbers of German and Italian immigrants in the 19th century, is especially popular during the Christmas season.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva sent his condolences to the families of the victims in a post on X.
“I hope that the injured have a speedy recovery. The Air Force is investigating the causes of the accident and the federal government is at the disposal of the state government and local authorities to clarify the situation as soon as possible,” he wrote.