Authorities have identified the pilot of the plane that crashed in Brazil on Friday, killing all 62 people on board.
Fox News reported that Capt. Danilo Santos Romano, 35, was at the controls of the Voepass Linhas airline ATR 72 twin-engine turboprop when it plummeted into a residential area in the city of Vinhedo.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Romano had over a decade of aviation experience and was certified by Brazil's National Civil Aviation Agency and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
The crash also claimed the lives of three Venezuelans with dual citizenship — a 4-year-old boy, his mother, and grandmother — as well as a Portuguese woman. Authorities are using various methods to identify the victims as the investigation into the cause of the crash continues.
Residents of a Vinhedo neighborhood witnessed the harrowing sight of the aircraft descending uncontrollably. Videos capturing the incident show the plane spiraling dangerously before impacting the ground.
The emergency protocol was promptly activated, and firefighters, military police, and civil defense authorities arrived at the scene. Their swift action underscored the severity of the crash in this usually tranquil area.
Mayor Dario Pacheco's statement highlighted the tragic loss, beginning with Captain Romano, who was rapidly identified from the wreckage. Efforts to determine the identities of other victims are ongoing, with officials using a mix of seat assignments, personal documents, and belongings.
Rescue teams managed to retrieve the flight's black box the morning after the crash, a key element that might shed light on the catastrophic chain of events. No immediate evidence suggests the cause of the accident, leaving experts and authorities searching for answers.
Brazil's aviation agency has thus promised a thorough investigation. As stated by the agency, understanding the sequence that led to the crash is paramount to prevent future occurrences and provide closure to the victims' families.
Once all this evidence has been collected, we will remove the victims from the wreckage and place them in the vehicle to be transported to São Paulo.
The international dimension of this tragedy includes the loss of dual citizens: three Venezuelans, a young child, his mother, and his grandmother, and a Portuguese woman, adding to the heartbreak felt across two continents. Voepass Linhas conveyed their condolences, noting the international makeup of the victims.
While the technical analysis of the black box and other debris begins, the community and families anxiously await answers about what caused the tragic crash. Statements from domestic and international authorities underscore the global nature of the aviation community and the shared challenges it faces in ensuring safety and coordinating effective responses to accidents.
Brazil's aviation agency's commitment to conducting a thorough investigation suggests a strong determination to uncover the truth behind the crash, which has garnered widespread public attention. Meanwhile, Voepass Linhas has refrained from speculating on the cause of the accident, preferring to wait for the official findings of the investigation.
