A Brazilian businessman and nine members of his family, including his wife and three daughters, died when the private plane he was flying crashed into a small Brazilian tourist town. They had only recently taken off when the crash occurred.
In addition to the 10 people who died in the plane, more died on the ground as a result of the crash. Several are in critical condition. Investigators are looking into the cause of the crash.
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The accident was confirmed by the businessman's company.
Galeazzi & Associados, a business consulting firm, confirmed the death of 61-year-old CEO Luiz Claudio Galeazzi, in a LinkedIn post. In addition to Galeazzi, his wife, three daughters, and other family members also died in the crash. Galeazzi was piloting the plane at the time of the crash.
The crash is devastating for the whole family.
“Luiz Galeazzi will be forever remembered for his dedication to his family and for his remarkable careers as a leader of Galeazzi & Associados,” the translated statement reads.
“In this moment of immense pain, Galeazzi & Associados is deeply grateful for the expressions of solidarity and affection received from friends, colleagues, and the community. We also sympathize with all those affected by the accident in the region.”
The flight had just began at the time of the crash.
The BBC reported on the crash, saying the plane reportedly flew for 1.8 miles before crashing in Gramado, Brazil, minutes after take-off. According to a statement from Rio Grande do Sul state Governor Eduardo Leite in a press conference, the plane was flying in unfavorable weather conditions.
Reportedly, the plane hit the chimney of a building, as well as a store, and a house as it crashed.
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An eyewitness shared their account of the crash.
“At the time, it was revving up. You could see that it was accelerating a lot,” eyewitness Nadia Hansen, told Reuters. “Then there was a bang as it hit the building and then it passed close to my house and then it fell, and I thought it had dropped in front of the house,” she added.
The BBC reported local authorities announced that the crash injured 17 people on the ground. Two of those people are in critical condition.
The investigation is ongoing.
“The entire state is mobilized here to provide the necessary assistance,” Leite said at the scene. He also shared that the cause of the crash is under investigation by the Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Center (Cenipa).
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva shared sympathies on X (formerly Twitter). “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,” the translation of his statement reads.
