Brazil hot air balloon crash: How 13 survived fire that killed 8 and what caused the accident

After the crash, 13 people who survived were taken to hospitals, Santa Catarina’s military fire brigade said. Twenty-one people were on board, including the pilot. The accident took place at around 8 AM local time, Lt. Col. Zevir Cipriano Jr., a military firefighter, said. 

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How did the 13 passengers manage to survive the crash?

The pilot reportedly revealed that he told the passengers to jump out of the basket as the balloon fell to the ground. Those who leapt quickly are believed to be the ones who survived. 

Praia Grande police chief Tiago Luiz Lemos told the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper: “According to the pilot, who is one of the survivors, a fire started inside the basket and then he began to lower the balloon. When the balloon was very close to the ground, he ordered people to jump out of the basket. Some of them didn’t manage to jump. The fire increased and the balloon ended up falling.”

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What caused the crash?

Ulisses Gabriel, chief of police in Santa Catarina, told Globo News that weather conditions played a role in the crash. 

“Several people had to hold the balloon down during launch due to its instability,” he said.  The balloon reportedly swayed violently from side to side after the winds blew. Gabriel added that the instability was likely caused by a gas leak. 

“Despite it being flame-retardant, there was an intense fire,” he said. 

Authorities are investigating additional factors, including adverse weather conditions and human error.