Praia Grande – At least eight people have died after a hot-air balloon carrying 21 passengers caught fire midair and plummeted to the ground in Brazil’s southern state of Santa Catarina.

The ill-fated flight, operated by ballooning company Sobrevoar, was expected to last 45 minutes and reach an altitude of 3,280 feet.

However, flames erupted in the basket moments after takeoff, prompting panic and desperate attempts to escape, Fox News reports.

Of the 21 people on board, 13 survived and were rushed to hospitals in the nearby city of Praia Grande. Their condition remains unclear.

Heartbreaking footage captured by bystanders shows thick black smoke rising from the balloon as it deflates and crashes into a wooded area outside the popular tourist town.

The town is known as the “capital of the canyons” for its rugged natural beauty and soaring balloon rides.

Lt. Col. Zevir Cipriano Jr. of the Santa Catarina military fire brigade confirmed that four of the victims died from severe burns.

According to The Telegraph, the other four jumped from the balloon in a desperate attempt to survive.

"These people ended up dying, four charred, and another four jumped out of the balloon when it was falling," he said.

Three victims were found embracing in death, according to Santa Catarina Civil Police Chief Ulisses Gabriel.

"It hurts the soul," Gabriel wrote on social media.

In a statement posted on X, Santa Catarina Governor Jorginho Mello expressed grief over the tragedy:

“We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, and why. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can.”

The balloon’s pilot, who is among the survivors, reportedly followed emergency procedures and attempted a controlled descent but was ultimately unable to prevent the crash.

Survivors told officials that some passengers jumped out when the fire first broke out, leading the balloon to briefly rise again before its fatal fall.

Sobrevoar, the company operating the balloon, issued a statement saying:

“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.”

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, examining whether equipment failure, weather conditions, or human error played a role in one of the worst ballooning disasters in the country’s recent history.

Source: TUKO.co.ke