Brazil: Passenger plane crash kills over 60 people
By James Blears
The twin-engine turboprop plane was flying from Cascavel in Brazil's southern state of Parano to Sao Paulo State, when footage shows it spinning out of control, going into a vertical dive, and crashing into a residential gated community in the city of Vinhedo.
The airline, Voepass, says the ATR72 propeller plane was bound for Vinhedo, 80 kilometers to the northwest of Sao Paulo International Airport, when the accident happened.
No one on the ground in the area where it came down was injured or killed.
Civil Aviation Authorities say the plane, which was built in 2010, was in good operating condition prior to the crash, and its crew was fully trained.
Its flight recorder, including the black box, has been recovered and is being examined as well as assessed by experts.
French-Italian plane manufacturer ATR confirmed their specialists are cooperating and assisting in the investigation.
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva has announced three days of national mourning.
Parana State Governor Ratinaho Junior says many of the passengers were doctors from this area going to a medical Convention.
A key part of the investigation will be analysis of footage obtained by GloboNews, which shows the plane going out of control into a spin and then a vertical dive before it hits the ground. Debris was scattered over a wide area.
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