Six Dead in Helicopter Collision Over Rio de Janeiro
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Two helicopters collided over the city's western zone on Sunday morning, resulting in the deaths of all six individuals aboard, authorities confirmed.
According to the Military Fire Department of Rio de Janeiro, one helicopter crashed into a car dealership parking lot, igniting a fire that has since been extinguished. Emergency services responded promptly to the scene.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the collision. Witnesses reported seeing one helicopter engulfed in flames, with one passenger apparently jumping from the second aircraft before impact.
Police confirmed that American singer and comedian Oliver Tree was listed among the passengers, but they have not yet identified the deceased. The 31-year-old performed in Buenos Aires on June 4 and recently shared footage playing soccer in a Brazilian neighborhood.
Content creator Gaspar Prim Díaz, known as Gaspi, was also confirmed to be aboard the helicopter. The 23-year-old had over 2.8 million YouTube followers.
A local tire repair worker described the scene as “terrifying, absolutely horrifying,” after witnessing the helicopters collide midair.
An aerial investigation is underway to gather further details on the incident.