A small plane crashed Sunday in a Brazilian city popular with tourists, killing all 10 passengers on board and injuring more than a dozen people on the ground, Brazil's Civil Defense Agency said.
The agency in a post on More than a dozen people who were on the ground were taken to hospitals with injuries, including smoke inhalation, and two of them were said to be in critical condition.
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It is not immediately clear what caused the accident.
Local media reported that the plane was piloted by Luiz Claudio Galeazzi, a Brazilian businessman who was traveling with his family to the state of Sao Paulo. In a statement posted on LinkedIn, Galeazzi's company, Galeazzi & Associados, confirmed that the 61-year-old man was on the plane and added that he was traveling with his wife, three daughters, several other family members and another company employee, who He perished in the accident.
“In this time of intense pain, we are deeply grateful for the expressions of solidarity and love we have received from friends, colleagues and the community,” the statement reads. “We also express our solidarity with those who have been affected by this accident in the region.”
Security cameras filmed the Piper plane taking off from Canela airport, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, minutes before crashing in Gramado, about 10 kilometers from the airport.
Gramado is located in the Serra Gaucha mountains and is popular with Brazilian tourists who enjoy the cool climate, hiking spots and traditional architecture. The city was settled by large numbers of German and Italian immigrants in the 19th century and is a popular place for Christmas holidays.
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