Ten people were killed when a small plane they were traveling in crashed in the southern Brazilian city of Gramado on Sunday morning, officials said.
Seventeen other people were injured and taken to regional hospitals, Gov. Eduardo Leite said at a news conference on Sunday, according to a statement from the government of Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state, where Gramado is located.
Two of the injured were in serious condition and were being transferred to Porto Alegre, the statement said. An earlier statement from the Rio Grande do Sul state government said most of the injured were taken to hospitals due to smoke inhalation from the fire caused by the crash.
All 10 people who died so far were passengers on the plane and came from the same family.
It was unclear whether there were other passengers on the plane.
The crash occurred between 9 and 10 a.m., shortly after the plane took off from Canela Airport, according to a statement from the governor’s office. The plane struck the structure of a building under construction and then crashed into a furniture store. It also hit a hotel near the highway.
“I deeply regret this accident and emphasize that security forces took immediate action to care for and rescue the victims and to take control of the accident scene. Now we need to formally identify the victims and investigate the circumstances of the accident,” according to the statement.
He said security forces would “closely monitor the progress of the case” as civilian police and the Center for Aviation Accident Investigation and Prevention (Cenipa) investigate the cause and circumstances of the accident. The General Institute of Forensic Medicine is working to identify the victims.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva posted a message on X to express his condolences to the families of the victims.
“The Air Force is investigating the cause of the accident and the federal government is working with state and local authorities to clarify the situation as quickly as possible,” he said.