Dawn
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18:21 Jun 21, 2025
At least eight people were killed on Saturday when a hot air balloon with 21 passengers caught fire in southern Brazil, said the governor of Santa Catarina state, where the incident occurred. “Eight fatalities and 13 survivors,” Governor Jorginho Mello said on X. Videos taken by bystanders and carried on Brazilian television showed the moment when the balloon erupted in flames above the coastal town of Praia Grande. The weather conditions were clear. The basket carrying the passengers plummeted dozens of meters to the ground in flames. “We still have no information” about the condition of the survivors, a spokeswoman for Santa Catarina firefighters told AFP. Praia Grande, on the Atlantic coast, is a popular destination for hot-air ballooning in Brazil. View this post on Instagram The survivors were being treated in area hospitals, firefighters said. An investigation was launched to determine the cause of the accident. “I want to express my solidarity with the families of the victims,” Brazilian President Luiz...