As many as 14 people, including 12 passengers and two crew members, died in a plane crash that took place in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest on Saturday (September 16), Amazonas state Governor Wilson Lima said.
"I deeply regret the death of the 12 passengers and two crew members who were victims of the plane crash in Barcelos on Saturday," Lima said on X, formerly Twitter.
According to news agency ANI which reported quoting CNN Brasil, the Bandeirante model vehicle carried 12 tourists and pilot and a co-pilot. The plane crashed when it was trying to land in a city that is nearly 400 km from the state capital, Manaus from where it had lifted off.
The unfortunate incident occurred at around 3 pm (Brazil time).
The plane crashed possibly due to bad weather, according to the media report, as it was raining heavily at the time of landing.
The passengers were Brazilian who were in the aircraft en route to practice recreational fishing, ANI reported citing CNN Brasil report.
According to the video footage shared by the Globo television network, the plane was lying on a muddy dirt track with the front of the aircraft in green foliage. Several people were seen standing nearby with umbrellas in their hands.
The Brazilian Air Force sent a team from Manaus to collect information and preserve any evidence that could be used for the investigation into the crash, an Air Force statement said.
Manaus Aerotáxi, a company that operated the aircraft, said that in a statement that the incident involved a PT-SOG plane, according to the report.
“The safety of passengers and crew is always the priority, so we are certain that the aircraft and crew involved in the accident met all civil aviation authority requirements necessary for airworthiness, and we are committed to clarifying all details related to this accident," it stated.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this tragic event," the statement added.
(With inputs from agencies)
