2025 Santa Catarina hot air balloon crash

Praia Grande is a municipality located in southern Santa Catarina, a state in the South Region of Brazil. For being a known destination for hot air ballooning activities, it is called "Brazilian Cappadocia", with around 100 balloon flights daily. Hot air ballooning in the country is regulated by the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (, ANAC), which requires specific qualifications for pilots and maintenance of the equipment, The balloon had a six-meter-wide basket, the capacity to transport a maximum of 24 people at the cost of per passenger and carried out in 45-minute-long trips up to 1,000 meters high. News portal G1 reported that the company involved in the accident is Sobrevoar Serviços Turísticos, which operates in Praia Grande, and that the vehicle had permission to fly. The owner, which suspended its activities indefinitely after the disaster, said it complied with all regulations and had a clean accident record prior to it. == Accident ==

The pilot, who survived the crash, said that at , two minutes into the flight, It consequently fell after being deflated by the flames. in a wooded area just two kilometers away from the takeoff site. Around 30 military firefighters were dispatched to the scene with the support of several vehicles and an aircraft. The weather conditions were clear in the region at the time of the accident. Footage shared on social media show the balloon aloft in flames and people jumping from the basket. == Victims ==

Five injured people, including two with second-degree burns, received treatment at the Nossa Senhora de Fátima municipal hospital. A witness said they observed "a mud-covered woman in a state of shock along with a man limping", as well as two bodies. Four people were burned to death in the basket and another four died after falling. The deceased—two couples, a mother and her daughter, an ophthalmologist and a figure skater—were from Santa Catarina and neighboring Rio Grande do Sul state, most of them were in the city enjoying the Feast of Corpus Christi holiday. == Investigation ==

Santa Catarina's public safety secretary Flavio Graff said authorities have opened an investigation and the results will be made public within 30 days. Graff also said according to the state civil police, the pilot has given testimony and they will also gather statements from survivors. The Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center (, CENIPA), Santa Catarina's Fire Department and Scientific Police will also investigate the causes of the accident. ANAC said it is taking "the necessary measures to investigate the situation of the aircraft and crew". Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was possibly started with the blowtorch used to produce the hot air. == Reactions ==

Governor of Santa Catarina Jorginho Mello posted a video expressing sadness for those lost in the tragedy and directing the state structure to provide the assistance needed and check the developments. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his "solidarity with the families of the victims" in a post on his X account, placing "the federal government at the disposal of the victims" and stating that "state and municipal forces" were working on the rescue and care of the survivors. == See also ==