(Rightallegiance.com) – A devastating plane crash in Brazil claimed the lives of 62 people, as investigators work to uncover the cause of the tragedy. The twin-engine turboprop, flying from Cascavel in Paraná to Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo, crashed in the town of Vinhedo, São Paulo state, on Friday. Among the victims were prominent cancer doctors, a three-year-old child, a Venezuelan family, and a lawyer specializing in lawsuits against airlines.
The crash has drawn significant attention due to the prominence of several victims. Two doctors, Mariana Belim and Ariane Risso, were aboard the flight en route to a medical conference. They were among eight doctors traveling together from the Uopeccan Cancer Hospital in Cascavel.
The youngest victim, three-year-old Liz Ibba dos Santos, was traveling with her father, Rafael Fernando dos Santos. The child’s mother, a journalist, was not on board. Their tragic story is emblematic of the deep losses felt by those connected to the crash.
Also on the ill-fated flight was a Venezuelan family: Josgleidys Gonzalez, her mother Maria Gladys Parra Holguin, and her young son Joslan Perez. The family had moved to Brazil seeking a better life but had been forced to return to Venezuela to resolve documentation issues for Joslan, who was born in Venezuela but grew up in Brazil. The family was planning to move to Colombia, where they had friends who could help them start over. They even brought their dog, Luna, with them on the flight, as they could not bear to be separated from their pet. Tragically, none of them survived.
Another notable victim was Laiana Vasatta, a lawyer and lay judge at the Court of Justice of Paraná. Vasatta had gained a following on social media by offering consumer guidance, and her loss has been deeply felt by those who knew her.
Footage shared on social media showed the plane spiraling as it descended vertically before crashing in a residential area. Fortunately, no one on the ground was injured, though one home in a local condominium complex was damaged.
All bodies have now been recovered from the crash site. The state of São Paulo confirmed that the bodies were transported to a police morgue in São Paulo city for identification and will soon be released to the families. The victims included 34 males and 28 females.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash, with an analysis of the plane’s flight recorders already underway. The Brazilian Air Force has announced that a preliminary report will be released in 30 days. This incident marks Brazil’s deadliest plane crash since 2007, when a TAM Express flight crashed at São Paulo’s Congonhas airport, killing 199 people.