PRAIA GRANDE, BRAZIL — A tragic hot-air balloon accident has left eight people dead and 13 others injured in southern Brazil, marking the country’s second fatal ballooning incident in less than a week.
The disaster occurred near the coastal tourist town of Praia Grande in Santa Catarina state, a region known for its scenic balloon flights. Video footage captured by bystanders and aired on Brazilian television showed the harrowing moment the balloon erupted into flames mid-air, before plummeting to the ground in a fiery crash.
According to Governor Jorginho Mello, who confirmed the death toll via X (formerly Twitter), “Eight fatalities and 13 survivors” were reported.
Eyewitnesses described a horrifying scene as the balloon’s basket, carrying 21 passengers, caught fire and fell from the sky. Some passengers were seen attempting to jump from the basket as it neared the ground, while others were unable to escape in time.
Officials said the 13 survivors were transported to local hospitals. Our Lady of Fatima Hospital reported that five of those treated there included three with minor injuries and two already discharged. The conditions of the remaining survivors were not immediately disclosed.
Authorities have launched a full investigation into the cause of the accident. Weather conditions were reportedly clear and favorable at the time of the flight. Preliminary information from Tiago Luiz Lemos, a local police official, suggests that the fire originated from a blowtorch used to ignite the balloon’s flame, which ignited in the basket mid-flight.
The pilot attempted an emergency landing, urging passengers to jump once the balloon descended. However, fire department official Zevir Cipriano Junior reported that four people died from burns, while four others died from injuries sustained in the fall.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his condolences in an official statement: “I want to express my solidarity with the families of the victims.”
The tragedy comes just days after another fatal ballooning incident in São Paulo state, where a woman lost her life during a ride.
As investigations continue, the nation mourns yet another devastating loss in what has become a troubling series of ballooning accidents.
