Over 40 families of those who perished in a recent plane crash in Brazil gathered on Sunday at a morgue and nearby hotels in São Paulo, coinciding with the arrival of three French aviation experts.
These experts, from France’s Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA), joined local authorities in identifying the 62 victims who lost their lives in the tragic accident.
The São Paulo state government reported that the plane’s two engines were retrieved from the crash site on Sunday evening, more than 48 hours after the incident. The remainder of the wreckage had been cleared earlier.
All 62 victims, including 34 men and 28 women, were recovered by Saturday. The crash involved an ATR 72 twin-engine turboprop operated by Brazilian airline Voepass, en route to Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo.
The aircraft crashed in Vinhedo, approximately 78 kilometers (49 miles) from the city. Voepass revealed that three passengers had dual Venezuelan and Brazilian identities, with one also holding Portuguese documents.
Given that ATR is a French-Italian manufacturer, international aviation protocols mandate that the country of the aircraft’s origin participate in the investigation. The BEA’s involvement reflects this standard practice.
Initial identifications included pilot Danilo Santos Romano and co-pilot Humberto de Campos Alencar e Silva. Since then, ten more victims have been identified, with one body prepared for burial and seven others anticipated to be ready by Sunday.
The crash, which occurred while the plane was attempting to land, was the deadliest aviation accident globally since January 2023. That crash, involving another ATR 72, resulted in 72 fatalities in Nepal due to pilot error, according to the final report.
Reports from Metsul, a leading Brazilian meteorological company, indicated severe icing conditions in São Paulo around the time of the crash. Experts suggest that icing could have played a role in the accident.
A video circulating on social media features a Voepass pilot reassuring passengers of the ATR 72’s safety record and urging respect for the victims and the company. Meanwhile, São Paulo’s morgue has asked victims’ relatives to provide medical, X-ray, and dental records for identification purposes. Blood tests are also being used.
Witnesses reported the aircraft spinning uncontrollably before crashing into a gated community, with no injuries reported on the ground. The crash was compared to a 1994 American Eagle incident involving the same aircraft model, which was attributed to ice buildup and resulted in 68 deaths.
Brazilian aviation expert Lito Sousa cautioned against drawing definitive conclusions from the crash images alone, highlighting that the plane’s loss of control in a flat spin could not be easily corrected.
Brazil’s air force has analyzed the plane’s flight recorders, with results expected within a month. Voepass director Marcelo Moura stated that while ice conditions were forecasted, they were within acceptable limits for the ATR 72. The air force’s investigation will focus on whether the pilots reported any adverse weather conditions.
Pope Francis also offered prayers for the crash victims during a public mass at the Vatican earlier on Sunday.
