Drama in Brazil

All 62 bodies recovered after plane crash

Relatives of the crash victims embrace in front of the forensic institute in São Paulo.

(Bild: AFP)

After the plane crash with 62 fatalities in Brazil, all the bodies have been recovered from the crashed plane. The mortal remains of the 34 men and 28 women were "taken to the morgue in São Paulo for identification and handover to their families", according to the authorities. 

According to the mayor of Vinhedo, Dario Pacheco, two of the victims have already been identified on the basis of fingerprints. According to him, they are the pilot and the co-pilot.

First investigation results only in 30 days
Meanwhile, experts began analyzing the flight recorder data to determine the cause of the crash. According to Marcelo Moreno, head of the Brazilian authority for the investigation and prevention of air accidents (CENIPA), two black boxes recovered from the wreckage contained recordings of the cabin conversations and flight data. According to the Brazilian Air Force, initial findings from the investigation are expected within 30 days.

The Brazilian investigators hope to gain insights into the cause of the accident via the recovered black box.

(Bild: APA/AFP)

Plane crashed over small town
The aircraft, built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ART, was on its way from Cascavel in the southern state of Parana to Guarulhos International Airport near São Paulo in the southeast on Friday when it crashed in the small town of Vinhedo, 80 kilometers northwest of São Paulo.

There were no survivors in the crash. According to the airline Voepass, there were a total of 62 people on board the ill-fated plane - and not 61, as had previously been reported. All 62 occupants were Brazilian.

Pictures from the crash site: 

(Bild: APA/ Associated Press)

(Bild: APA/Associated Press)

(Bild: APA/AFP/MIGUEL SCHINCARIOL)

(Bild: APA/AFP/Nelson ALMEIDA)

Air force: "No unfavorable weather conditions"
According to the Flightradar 24 website, the plane flew for around an hour at an altitude of around 5,000 meters until it abruptly lost altitude at around 1.21 p.m. (local time; 6.21 p.m. CEST). According to the air force, radio contact with the aircraft was lost at 13:22. The crew had "at no time declared an emergency or were in unfavorable weather conditions", the air force said.

Icing could have caused the accident
According to Voepass operations manager Marcel Moura, the ATR 72-500 aircraft had undergone routine maintenance the night before the accident. "No technical problems" had been identified. However, experts believe that the accident may have been caused by icing on the wings. According to Moura, the aircraft type is "more sensitive to icing". However, the conditions on Friday were "within acceptable parameters for a flight".

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ordered three days of national mourning. The governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, promised all necessary support.

Deadliest plane crash in Brazil's history
According to media reports, the accident is one of the deadliest in the history of Brazilian aviation. Many people remember a crash on November 28, 2016, when the plane of Brazilian soccer club Chapecoense crashed on its way to Medellín for the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final in Colombia. At the time, 71 people died, including almost all the players, coaches, trainers and journalists traveling with them. Six passengers survived.