62 Dead in Brazil Plane Crash: Recovery and Identification Efforts Ongoing
Brazilian civil defense teams worked tirelessly through the night to recover the remains of passengers from the tragic plane crash that occurred near São Paulo on Friday. The crash, which claimed the lives of all 62 people on board, has left the nation in mourning.
By Saturday morning, at least 21 bodies had been retrieved from the wreckage, according to the São Paulo state government. Two victims have been identified on-site, and all the recovered bodies are being transported to São Paulo’s police morgue for further identification.
The regional carrier, Voepass, initially reported that 57 passengers and four crew members were aboard the ill-fated flight. However, on Saturday, the airline confirmed that an additional passenger had been unaccounted for, raising the total death toll to 62.
At the crash site, firefighter Maycon Cristo explained that the identification process is being aided by the position of the bodies, physical characteristics, documents, and personal belongings such as cell phones. “Once all this evidence has been collected, we will remove the victims from the wreckage and place them in the vehicle to be transported to São Paulo,” Cristo stated.
Relatives of the victims have been brought to São Paulo to assist in the identification process by providing genetic material for DNA testing and offering other critical information. Henguel Pereira, the Civil Defense Coordinator for São Paulo state, emphasized the importance of this cooperation in the painstaking task of identifying the deceased.
The ATR-72 turboprop plane, operated by Voepass, was en route from Cascavel, Paraná, to São Paulo when it crashed in the town of Vinhedo, approximately 80 km (50 miles) northwest of São Paulo, around 1:30 p.m. (1630 GMT).
Franco-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR, co-owned by Airbus and Leonardo, is the leading producer of regional turboprop planes seating 40 to 70 passengers. ATR announced on Friday that its specialists are fully engaged in the investigation into the cause of this devastating crash.
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62 Dead in Brazil Plane Crash: Recovery and Identification Efforts Ongoing