Two people have died after a small aircraft crashed and burst into flames in the Brazilian city of Marília, while a third occupant was rescued alive from the wreckage by members of the public.
The crash happened on Wednesday when a twin-engine Beechcraft Baron aircraft went down shortly after taking off from a local airfield. Witnesses said the plane crashed into a field near a sports club before being engulfed in flames.
The only survivor, identified as 28-year-old Pablo Portella Ilwoski, was pulled from the burning wreckage by bystanders who rushed to the scene moments after the impact. He was taken to hospital in critical condition.
Authorities confirmed that the two people who died were pilots Gabriel Maloni Mendes da Cruz, 24, and Henrique Guariente Filho, 47. Both were trapped inside the front section of the aircraft as the fire spread rapidly through the wreckage.
Residents nearby described hearing a loud explosion before seeing thick black smoke rising from the crash site. Several people ran toward the burning aircraft in an attempt to rescue those on board.
One rescuer said they managed to reach the survivor, cut his seatbelt, and drag him away from the aircraft before the flames intensified. However, despite desperate efforts, the two men trapped in the cockpit could not be reached in time. Witnesses said one of them was still calling for help as the fire spread.
According to local reports, the aircraft had taken off carrying three people and was attempting to return to the same airfield before the crash occurred. The plane, a 1985 Beechcraft 58 Baron, was licensed to operate and belonged to a food manufacturing company.
The company expressed condolences to the families of the victims and said it would cooperate fully with investigators examining the accident.
Brazil’s Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Centre has launched an investigation to determine what caused the aircraft to go down. Officials have not yet announced any preliminary findings.
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