Four dead in Rio helicopter crash, Colombian family among victims
Four people were killed in a helicopter crash on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, including three Colombian tourists from the same family, the country's consul confirmed.
The helicopter went down in Tijuca National Park, a mountainside forest with dense vegetation, near the Vista Chinesa monument. The aircraft came to rest on a steep, hard-to-reach hillside, making rescue and recovery efforts difficult for emergency teams.
Firefighters said the pilot and three women died in the crash. The women were part of a family group that had travelled to Rio to celebrate a girl's 15th birthday, according to Diana Paez, the Consul General of Colombia in Rio de Janeiro.
The family, consisting of six members, had split into two groups because the helicopter could only carry three passengers. The grandmother, aunt and cousin of the birthday girl died in the crash. The girl was scheduled to take a second flight later with her father and his partner, Paez said.
The consulate is providing support to Brazilian authorities in identifying the victims, a challenging task given the condition of the bodies. Paez did not disclose further details about the victims or the pilot.
Tijuca National Park is one of the largest urban forests in the world, covering roughly 39 square kilometres. The area where the crash occurred is rugged and heavily forested, complicating access for ground teams. Vista Chinesa, a replica of a Chinese pagoda, is a popular viewpoint within the park, known for panoramic views of Rio de Janeiro. It also featured in the 2011 animated film 'Rio'.
Helicopter tours are a common way for visitors to see the city's landmarks and natural scenery. However, Saturday's crash is not an isolated incident. In June, two helicopters collided over Rio, killing six people, including American singer Oliver Tree and Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim.
Following Saturday's crash, Rio's mayor, Eduardo Cavaliere, said he had asked Brazil's National Civil Aviation Agency to step up monitoring of helicopter flights to ensure safety. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
