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At least eight people have died after a hot-air balloon caught fire and tumbled from the sky in Brazil.
A further 13 people were injured in the incident in the southern state of Santa Catarina on Saturday morning, according to local officials.
Shocking footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled towards the ground and crashed into a rural area near a health centre.
Horrifying videos captured the moment the balloon appears to crumple before plummeting down, with reports suggesting at least one person jumped to escape the blaze mid-air.
Of the victims, four died after being burned in the basket and another four in the fall, G1 reported.
Miraculously there were survivors who were all taken to hospitals, Santa Catarina’s military fire brigade said, adding that 21 people were on board in total, including the pilot.
“We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, why it happened. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can,” governor Jorginho Mello said in a video on X.
Mr Mello said he has asked authorities to head to the municipality “to do as much as possible to rescue, to help, to take to hospital, to comfort the families”.
He added: “We continue to monitor the situation.”
Last Sunday, a balloon fell in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 others, G1 reported.
Praia Grande is a common destination for hot-air ballooning, a popular activity in some parts of Brazil’s south during June festivities that celebrate Catholic saints such as Saint John.
More follows on this breaking news story…
