Helicopter crashes in Brazil’s Rio De Janeiro, four killed

Four people were killed after a helicopter crashed in Rio de Janeiro's Tijuca National Park on Saturday, Brazilian fire officials said. Brazilian media reported that three of those killed were Colombian tourists. The helicopter crashed in a mountainous part of the national park, an area covered by dense vegetation and difficult to access. Firefighters said the pilot and three women "burned to death".

Images released by the fire department showed the charred wreckage of the helicopter smoking on a steep hillside. A police source told AFP that the victims had not yet been officially identified. However, local media reports said the three female passengers were Colombian nationals, while Brazilian news site G1 reported that they belonged to the same family. The crash occurred near Vista Chinesa, a replica of a Chinese pagoda located at a high altitude and known for its panoramic views of Rio de Janeiro from within the forest. The landmark also featured in the 2011 animated film “Rio.” The latest crash comes less than two months after another helicopter accident in Rio de Janeiro. In June, two helicopters collided over the city, killing six people, including American singer Oliver Tree and Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim.

Helicopter tours are popular among tourists visiting Rio, offering aerial views of the city's landmarks and coastline. Following Saturday's crash, Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere said on X that he had asked Brazil's National Civil Aviation Agency to immediately step up monitoring to ensure the safety of helicopter flights.