Overview

• Twenty-one people were aboard a tourist flight in Praia Grande, Santa Catarina, when the balloon caught fire, leaving eight dead and 13 injured.
• The pilot survived and told passengers to jump from the basket as flames engulfed the aircraft near the ground.
• Preliminary reports suggest a backup burner stored in the basket sparked the blaze, and investigators are considering human error.
• Santa Catarina’s military fire brigade, state officials and President Lula da Silva mobilized rescue efforts and offered support to victims’ families.
• The crash follows a fatal hot air balloon accident in São Paulo on June 15, raising fresh safety concerns during Brazil’s June ballooning season.