Brazil plane crash leaves 61 dead, some narrowly escape fate

According to information provided by Voepass Airline, 57 passengers and four crew members died in the tragedy.

The plane was flying from Cascavel in the state of Paraná. The twin-engine ATR-72 had 58 passengers and four crew members on board. They were supposed to land at Guarulhos International Airport, but the aircraft crashed in a built-up area of the approximately 70,000-person city of Vinhedo, located about 50 miles northwest of São Paulo.

In the initial statements following the crash, the airline did not disclose what might have caused the accident. Social media videos and Brazilian media reports show the final seconds of the flight — the aircraft spins around its axis and falls almost vertically downward.

The media reached out to people who were supposed to be on the plane. One middle-aged man was not allowed to board because he was late.

"I was upstairs, drinking coffee, and waiting. I didn’t hear any announcements about my flight. When I went downstairs, it was 10:30 AM, and there was a long queue. I waited, and at 10:41 AM, that guy [airport staff - ed.] informed me that I wouldn’t be allowed to board," he recounted and admitted he even argued at one point to get on the plane. "He saved my life. He did his job. If he hadn’t done it, I probably wouldn’t be giving this interview," he said.

Another passenger, a young man, along with his friends, was among 10 people waiting at the wrong gate. By the time they reached the correct gate, it was already closed. The young man also attempted to persuade the staff to let him on. The airport staff offered him a change in flight time.

The investigation into the causes of the crash is still ongoing. In a statement to the media, ATR, the aircraft manufacturer, confirmed it was aware of the crash in Vinhedo and assured that its specialists would fully participate in the investigation. The Brazilian Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents is conducting the investigation.