A tragic plane crash occurred in Brazil’s northern Amazonas state in the Barcelos region this past Saturday, as reported by the Brazilian news outlet, Metrópoles. The Bandeirante aircraft had departed from Manaus, Amazonas’s state capital and the Amazon region’s largest city. Unfortunately, the plane crashed while attempting to land in adverse weather conditions characterized by heavy rainfall.
The Brazilian news outlet G1 stated that the aircraft was an EMB-110, a twin-engine turboprop produced by Brazil’s Embraer company.
G1 also mentioned that the plane’s operator, Manaus Aerotáxi, confirmed that the aircraft and its crew fully complied with all the essential flight regulations.
The small propeller aircraft was close to completing its 400km (248 miles) journey from Manaus, the Amazonas state capital, to the distant forested town of Barcelos when it crashed.
Sadly, all aboard the aircraft perished in the accident. This tragedy includes 12 tourists, believed to be Brazilians heading out for a fishing trip, and the pilot and copilot. Metrópoles received this information from a spokesperson for Barcelos city hall, who confirmed the total number of people on the flight at the time of the tragic event.
The Accident Investigation and Prevention Center (CENIPA) has been mobilized by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) to probe the circumstances leading to the crash of the Embraer Bandeirante aircraft bearing the registration PT-SOG.
Speaking to O Globo newspaper, Governor Lima confirmed that the deceased, all Brazilian tourists, had been retrieved from the crash site. He speculated that the heavy rains typical for the region might have played a role in the mishap, possibly due to a navigational error during the landing approach.
“From the get-go, our teams have been on-site, extending all the necessary assistance. My heart goes out to the victims’ families and friends during this tragic time,” Lima remarked.
Meanwhile, the Manaus Aerotaxi airline, to which the aircraft belonged, acknowledged the accident in their statement. While not going into specifics about casualties or injuries, they urged respect for the privacy of all parties concerned. “As we continue our internal investigation, we commit to keeping the public informed with any relevant updates,” their statement read.
