Ten members of a family have perished following the crash of a private aircraft in the city of Gramado, located in southern Brazil.
The deceased include Brazilian businessman Luiz Claudio Galeazzi, who was piloting the plane, along with his wife, three daughters, and other family members, according to a statement from his company. The small aircraft reportedly struck the chimney of a building, as well as a house and a shop, during its descent.
Local authorities report that 17 people on the ground sustained injuries, with two in serious condition. Mr Galeazzi was reportedly taking his family on a trip to Jundiaí, in São Paulo state, as per Brazilian media sources.
All ten victims were members of Mr Galeazzi’s family, Rio Grande do Sul state governor Eduardo Leite confirmed during a press conference. He added that the aircraft had taken off under adverse weather conditions. The plane allegedly flew for approximately 3 km (1.8 miles) before crashing into an urban area of the city shortly after take-off on Sunday morning.
Images from the scene depict emergency workers attending to the smouldering wreckage amidst debris from severely damaged buildings. Mr Galeazzi was the chief executive of Galeazzi & Associados, a corporate restructuring and crisis management firm based in São Paulo.
The company stated on LinkedIn, paying tribute to the 61-year-old, stating, “Luiz Galeazzi will be eternally remembered for his dedication to his family and for his remarkable career as the leader of Galeazzi & Associados.
“We also sympathise with all those affected by the accident in the region.”
The plane crashed near the centre of Gramado, impacting a house, a furniture store, and a hotel, according to Brazilian media. Governor Leite stated that the cause of the crash is being investigated by the Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Centre (Cenipa).
The region was severely affected in May this year by unprecedented flooding, which resulted in numerous fatalities and the displacement of approximately 150,000 people from their homes.
Frances Ibiefo
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