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A passenger airplane in southeastern Brazil crashed this afternoon, sparking a fire in a residential area outside Sao Paulo. Officials with the Brazilian company say four crew members and 57 passengers were aboard that flight. First responders on the ground say there were no survivors, and it's unclear what caused the accident. From Rio de Janeiro, NPR's Carrie Kahn reports.
CARRIE KAHN, BYLINE: The flight took off a little before noon today, estimated to arrive less than two hours later at Sao Paulo's international airport. Around 1:20 p.m., the plane was spotted spinning and falling from the sky. Several videos on social media show the terrifying fall.
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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: (Speaking Portuguese).
KAHN: "Guys, come look. A plane is falling. It's falling," shouts this man, who posted his video on X.
According to Flightradar, a global flight tracker, the plane dropped more than 13,000 feet in just two minutes. Firefighters, local police and civil protection forces called to the scene said there were no survivors. The plane crashed in a residential area outside Sao Paulo and burst into flames.
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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Speaking Portuguese).
KAHN: Residents posted videos warning of a possible explosion as flames shot up from the wreckage. The plane was operated by Voepass Airlines. In a statement, the company said the aircraft showed no signs of problems and was cleared for takeoff.
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PRESIDENT LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA: (Speaking Portuguese).
KAHN: At a public event in Brazil, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva asked the audience to stand.
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DA SILVA: (Speaking Portuguese).
KAHN: "A plane just crashed, and it appears all died on board," said Lula, asking for a moment of silence.
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DA SILVA: (Speaking Portuguese).
KAHN: The airline company and authorities say they are investigating the cause of the crash, which is unknown now. Local newspaper O Globo says a pilot in the same area reported ice formation at high elevation.
Carrie Kahn, NPR News, Rio de Janeiro. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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