Brazil hot air balloon crash: How 13 survived fire that killed 8 and what caused the accident

A hot-air balloon caught fire and fell from the sky in Brazil's Santa Catarina state on Saturday, killing eight people, officials confirmed

Updated on: Jun 22, 2025, 05:00:11 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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A hot-air balloon caught fire and fell from the sky in Brazil's Santa Catarina state on Saturday, killing eight people, officials confirmed. Videos posted on social media showed a massive billow of smoke coming from the balloon as it tumbled towards the ground in Praia Grande.

A military police officer takes photographs of the wreckage of a hot air balloon that caught fire in Praia Grande (AFP)

After the crash, 13 people who survived were taken to hospitals, Santa Catarina’s military fire brigade said. Twenty-one people were on board, including the pilot. The accident took place at around 8 AM local time, Lt. Col. Zevir Cipriano Jr., a military firefighter, said.

How did the 13 passengers manage to survive the crash?

The pilot reportedly revealed that he told the passengers to jump out of the basket as the balloon fell to the ground. Those who leapt quickly are believed to be the ones who survived.

Praia Grande police chief Tiago Luiz Lemos told the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper: "According to the pilot, who is one of the survivors, a fire started inside the basket and then he began to lower the balloon. When the balloon was very close to the ground, he ordered people to jump out of the basket. Some of them didn't manage to jump. The fire increased and the balloon ended up falling."

What caused the crash?

Ulisses Gabriel, chief of police in Santa Catarina, told Globo News that weather conditions played a role in the crash.

“Several people had to hold the balloon down during launch due to its instability,” he said. The balloon reportedly swayed violently from side to side after the winds blew. Gabriel added that the instability was likely caused by a gas leak.

“Despite it being flame-retardant, there was an intense fire,” he said.

Authorities are investigating additional factors, including adverse weather conditions and human error.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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