Small plane crashes in popular Brazilian city tourists Sunday, killing all 10 passengers on board and injuring more than a dozen people on the ground, Brazil » said the Civil Defense Agency.
The agency said in a post on . More than a dozen people who were on the ground were taken to hospital with injuries including smoke inhalation, two of whom were reported to be in critical condition.
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It was not immediately clear what caused the accident.
Local media reported that the plane was piloted by Luiz Claudio Galeazzi, a Brazilian businessman who was traveling with his family in the state of Sao Paulo. In a statement posted on LinkedIn, Galeazzi’s company, Galeazzi & Associados, confirmed that the 61-year-old was on board the plane, adding that he was traveling with his wife, their three daughters, several other members of the family and another employee of the company, who died in the accident.
“In this moment of intense pain, we are deeply grateful for the expressions of solidarity and love we have received from our friends, colleagues and the community,” the statement read. “We also express our solidarity with those affected by this accident in the region.”
Security cameras filmed the small Piper plane departing from Canela airport in Rio Grande do Sul state minutes before it crashed in Gramado, about 10 km from the airport .
Gramado is in the Serra Gaucha Mountains and is popular with Brazilian tourists who enjoy the cool weather, hiking spots and traditional architecture. The town was settled by large numbers of German and Italian immigrants in the 19th century and is a popular place for the Christmas holidays.
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