A small private plane carrying 10 people crashed in a tourist city in southern Brazil on Sunday, colliding with buildings as it fell from the sky and injuring at least 17 others, officials said.
Authorities for the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, where the crash took place, said 10 people were aboard the plane that crashed Sunday in the city of Gramado.
“We wish to express our solidarity with the families of the passengers on this plane, who unfortunately did not survive a serious accident,” the state’s governor, Eduardo Leite, said during a news conference on Sunday.
As the plane fell, it reportedly struck the chimney of a building and the second floor of a house before crashing into a furniture store and sending debris into a nearby bed-and-breakfast, civil defense officials said in a statement.
At least 17 people on the ground were injured, most suffering from smoke inhalation. Two women were in serious condition for burns and were being transported to the state capital for treatment, Mr. Leite said.
The plane crashed in Gramado at 9:15 a.m., just minutes after taking off from a nearby airport.
The aircraft was owned and piloted by Luiz Claudio Salgueiro Galeazzi, a Brazilian businessman, according to the state authorities. The passengers on board the plane are believed to have been relatives of Mr. Galeazzi.
Governor Leite said flight conditions in the area on Sunday were poor, with rain and fog prevalent, although it is not immediately clear if weather played a role in the crash.
Brazil’s aviation accident investigation center, Cenipa, said it was analyzing the damage at the site of the crash and had opened an inquiry into its cause.
Local media outlets showed images of flames and flying debris in the moments after the aircraft struck buildings in Gramado.
The mountain resort town is a popular destination for tourists during the holiday season, drawing large crowds with its traditional Christmas decorations.
In May, Rio Grande do Sul State was battered by torrential rains that caused one of Brazil’s worst floods in modern history, leaving more than 100 dead and nearly the entire state submerged.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his condolences to the victims on social media and also promised an inquiry.
“The air force is investigating the causes of the accident, and the federal government is at the disposal of the state government and local authorities to provide clarification as soon as possible,” Mr. Lula said in a post on X.
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