Eight Dead After Hot Air Balloon Bursts and Plummets to the Ground in Brazil as Pilot and 12 Others Miraculously Jump to Safety [WATCH]

A hot-air balloon caught fire and plummeted from the sky on Saturday in Brazil’s southern state of Santa Catarina, killing eight people, while 13 others managed to jump to safety. The deadly incident took place in the Praia Grande region, a popular destination for hot-air ballooning.

Chilling video footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed thick smoke coming down from the burning balloon as it rapidly tumbled toward the ground. A separate video being circulated on social media shows two people plummeting through the air as flames rapidly engulf the balloon. Thirteen people survived the crash and were transported to nearby hospitals, according to Santa Catarina’s military fire brigade.

Devastating Crash

The balloon was carrying 21 people, including the pilot. Police believe a woman may have boarded the balloon at the last minute, raising the possibility of a 22nd victim, who authorities are currently searching for.

“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,” State Governor Jorginho Mello said in a video on X.

Mello added that he has directed emergency teams “to do as much as possible to rescue, to help, to take to hospital, to comfort the families.”

The exact cause of the tragic accident is still under investigation, and rescue teams remain at the scene, searching for anyone who may still be missing.

The pilot amazingly survived the incident, according to Brazilian news outlet Jornal Razão, and has since offered an explanation of how the fire might have started.

The flames started from a backup burner that was stored in the balloon’s basket. Somehow, it ignited—possibly remaining lit or reigniting unexpectedly. “I don’t know if it stayed lit or if it reignited on its own, but it was the torch that started it all.”

Pilot Tried to Save Passengers

Once he spotted the fire, the pilot immediately began descending and ordered passengers to jump once the balloon was close to the ground. Several managed to escape and survived, though many sustained injuries. Unfortunately, some didn’t make it out in time.

After several people jumped, the balloon became significantly lighter and began rising again, taking the remaining passengers still in the basket back up into the air.

As the flames continued to spread, the balloon eventually separated from the basket, which then plummeted rapidly to the ground.

None of the passengers who stayed in the basket are believed to have survived, according to reports.

The balloon was scheduled for a 45-minute flight and had ascended to an altitude of more than 3,000 feet, news outlet G1 reported.

One witness told Jornal Razao said: “We saw two people fall on fire. After the basket broke, the balloon fell completely.”

“When we arrived, there were two people alive, a woman covered in mud, in shock, and a man limping. In the pasture, there were two bodies near the horses. The balloon was deeper in the forest, on fire,” another added.

“The firefighters asked us to move the cars because it could explode, because of the gas.”

According to Brazilian news site G1, the coastal region of Praia Grande, where the tragic incident took place, is a popular location for hot air ballooning.

Located in the far south of Santa Catarina state, the area is often nicknamed the “Brazilian Cappadocia” due to its resemblance to the iconic ballooning destination in Turkey.