12 people die in a plane crash in the Brazilian Amazon
At least 12 people died after a small plane crashed near the Rio Branco airport, in the capital of the western Brazilian state of Acre, Reuters reported Sunday The plane crashed right after takeoff, killing everyone onboard including an infant, the Acre state government in a statement.
The plane erupted in flames on impact, causing a forest fire in a remote area near Brazil’s border with Peru and Bolivia, AFP reported citing local media reports,
Many of the passengers were returning to the neighboring Amazonas state after receiving medical care, the media reports said.
According to the reports, the passenger list included six men, three women and one baby, as well as two pilots.
The plane was headed to Envira, a small town in Amazonas state. It was operated by a local firm ART Taxi Aereo.
The causes of the crash are still unknown, the authorities said.