Brazilian Plane Crash Victims' Families Gather in Sao Paulo; French Experts Assist

More than 40 families of victims from the recent airliner crash in Brazil gathered at a morgue and hotels in Sao Paulo. Three French government investigators arrived to assist with the investigation. Forensics experts are working to identify the remains of the 62 people who perished.

The ATR 72 twin-engine turboprop, operated by Brazilian airline Voepass, was en route to Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo. The aircraft, carrying 58 passengers and four crew members, crashed on Friday in Vinhedo, 78 kilometres north of Sao Paulo. Voepass confirmed that three passengers had dual Brazilian and Venezuelan identification, and one also had Portuguese documents.

Identification Efforts Underway

Sao Paulo's state government announced that searches concluded at 10:45 p.m. on Saturday, 33 hours after the crash. The remains of all 34 males and 28 females were recovered. The wreckage remains at the site for further investigation. The bodies of pilot Danilo Santos Romano and co-pilot Humberto de Campos Alencar e Silva were among the first identified.

The ATR is manufactured by a French-Italian company. International aviation protocols recommend that investigators from the airplane maker's country follow inquiries on foreign soil. The three French investigators in Brazil are from BEA, France's civil aviation security body.

Victims and Their Families

At least eight physicians were on board, according to Paraná state Gov. Ratinho Júnior. Four professors from Unioeste University in western Paraná were also confirmed dead. Liz Ibba dos Santos, a three-year-old girl travelling with her father, was the only child on the passenger list. Luna, a dog travelling with a Venezuelan family, was also found among the wreckage.

Sao Paulo's morgue began receiving bodies on Friday evening and requested medical, X-ray, and dental records from victims' relatives to aid identification. Blood tests were also conducted to assist in this process. A flight carrying more family members from Paraná state landed at Guarulhos airport on Saturday afternoon.

Crash Investigation

Images captured by witnesses showed the aircraft in a flat spin before crashing inside a gated community. No injuries were reported on the ground. This incident marks the deadliest airline crash since January 2023 when a Yeti Airlines plane crashed in Nepal, killing 72 people.

Metsul, a respected meteorological company in Brazil, reported severe icing conditions around the time of the crash. Local media cited experts suggesting icing as a potential cause. However, Brazilian aviation expert Lito Sousa warned against drawing conclusions based solely on images.

Brazils air force announced that both flight recorders had been analysed at its laboratory in Brasilia, with results expected within 30 days. Marcelo Moura, Voepass' director of operations, stated that while ice forecasts existed, they were within acceptable levels for the aircraft.

Global Context

An American Eagle ATR 72-200 crashed on October 31, 1994, due to ice buildup while circling in a holding pattern. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board attributed this crash to ice buildup and issued operating procedures for ATRs under such conditions.

Earlier on Sunday, Pope Francis called for prayers for the victims during a public mass at the Vatican. Meanwhile, police restricted access to Sao Paulo's morgue where bodies were being identified. Family members arrived discreetly and did not speak to journalists.

Voepass stated that pilot Danilo Santos Romano had completed his first full year as commander and had logged 5,202 flying hours with Voepass, all on ATR models. A video shared on social media showed a Voepass pilot asking passengers to respect his colleagues' memory and pray for them.

The ATR 72 is generally used for shorter flights and has been involved in crashes resulting in 470 deaths since the 1990s according to Aviation Safety Network data. The Brazilian air force's centre for investigating air accidents noted that no distress calls or adverse weather condition reports were made by the pilots before the crash.

Tânia Azevedo, who lost her son Tiago in the crash, expressed her grief on social media while waiting at one of Sao Paulo's hotels: "I believe Tiago is somewhere trying to help other people who need light and love," she said.

This tragic event has deeply affected many families and communities across Brazil and beyond as they await further details from ongoing investigations into this devastating accident.