Hot-air balloon accident in Brazil kills 8, leaves 13 others injured
By Emil Sandberg
Praia Grande is a common destination for hot-air ballooning, a popular activity in parts of southern Brazil. The area is famous for its dramatic canyon landscapes and is known as the “Brazilian Cappadocia,” a reference to a region in central Türkiye famed worldwide for stunning hot-air balloon rides.
On June 21, 2025, however, an accident caused a hot-air balloon to plummet dozens of meters to the ground in flames.
Footage shared by local news outlet G1 caught the incident live as billows of smoke came from the balloon, which was consumed in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality.
There were 21 passengers on board, including the pilot. Of the passengers, thirteen people, including the pilot, managed to jump out, but eight were unable to escape.
“These people ended up dying—four charred and another four jumped out of the balloon when it was falling,” said Lt. Col. Zevir Cipriano Jr., a military firefighter.
“We are in mourning”
Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina’s civil police force in response to this tragedy posted on X, “It hurts the soul.”
Gov. Jorginho Mello also expanded on the incident in a video on X, stating, “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.”
Authorities have opened an investigation and the results will be made public within 30 days, Santa Catarina’s public safety secretary Col. Flávio Graff told journalists. According to the civil police, the pilot has given testimony, and they will also gather statements from survivors, Graff added.
The balloon’s expected flight time was 45 minutes, G1 reported, with the balloon reaching 1,000 meters (3,280 feet), and cost 550 reais (around $100) per passenger.
Sobrevoar, the company responsible for the multicolored balloon, said they had complied with all safety regulations and had a clean accident record prior to Saturday.
“Despite all necessary precautions and the efforts of our pilot—who has extensive experience and followed all recommended procedures in an attempt to save everyone on board the balloon—we are suffering from the pain caused by this tragedy,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
Sobrevoar added that in light of this tragedy, it was suspending all operations for an indefinite period.
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