Four killed in helicopter crash in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro

At least four people were killed after a helicopter plunged into a densely wooded area of Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, triggering a rescue operation deep inside the city’s forested hills.

The crash occurred at around 11:11 am local time in the Vista Chinesa area of Alto da Boa Vista, within the vast green expanse of Tijuca National Park, firefighters said.

Emergency teams were rushed to the scene after the aircraft went down amid thick vegetation. Specialised crews reached the wreckage by land, while firefighters battled a blaze that erupted following the crash.

The helicopter was carrying a pilot and three Colombian women from the same family, authorities said. All four occupants were killed, though officials had not immediately released their identities.

The accident prompted an expression of grief from Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Cavaliere, who offered his condolences to the victims’ families and said he had been in contact with Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC).

Cavaliere said the city had asked ANAC to strengthen oversight of helicopter operations, citing the growing frequency of such flights over Rio. He also offered the city’s resources to assist with any measures deemed necessary following the crash.

The tragedy adds to a string of recent aviation accidents in Brazil. In June, two helicopters collided over Rio de Janeiro, killing six people, including American singer Oliver Tree and Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim.

Last year, a small aircraft crashed and exploded near a beach in the southeastern city of Ubatuba, São Paulo state, after the pilot reportedly failed to stop while attempting to land at the regional airport. The crash killed the pilot and injured seven others, according to the local fire department.

As investigators begin examining the latest crash, the wreckage scattered among Rio’s thick forest serves as a grim reminder of the risks accompanying the city’s increasingly busy skies.

With IANS inputs