Plane crash in Brazil's northern Amazon state leaves 14 dead

A plane crash in Brazil’s northern Amazon state on Saturday has left 14 dead, the state’s governor said.

The accident occurred in the Barcelos province, some 400 km (248 miles) from the state capital, Manaus.

🚨ATENÇÃO: O avião que caiu em Barcelos, no Amazonas, tinha 14 pessoas. Todos morreram, incluindo o piloto e copiloto.

O avião tipo taxi aéreo transportava turistas americanos. pic.twitter.com/j95NyI5l7e

— CHOQUEI (@choquei) September 16, 2023

"I deeply regret the death of the 12 passengers and two crew members who were victims of the plane crash in Barcelos on Saturday," said Wilson Lima, Governor of Amazonas state on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Our teams have been working from the outset to provide the necessary support. My sympathy and prayers go out to their families and friends."

Lamento profundamente a morte dos 12 passageiros e dois tripulantes, vítimas do acidente de avião ocorrido neste sábado, em Barcelos. Nossas equipes estão atuando, desde o primeiro momento, para prestar o apoio necessário. Aos familiares e amigos, minha solidariedade e orações.

— Wilson Lima (@wilsonlimaAM) September 16, 2023

The Manaus Aerotaxi airline issued a statement confirming that there had been an accident and that it was investigating but offering no details about deaths or injuries.

"We count on respect for the privacy of those involved at this difficult time and will be available to provide all necessary information and updates as the investigation progresses," the statement said.

The Embraer PT-SOG aircraft had taken off from Manaus, the Amazonas state capital and the biggest city in the Amazon, and was attempting to land in heavy rain when it crashed, local media reported.

Video footage posted by the Globo television network showed the plane lying on a muddy dirt track with the front part of the aircraft in green foliage. A couple of dozen people are seen standing nearby holding umbrellas.

The Brazilian Air Force sent a team from Manaus to collect information and preserve any evidence that could be used for the investigation into the crash, an Air Force statement said.

Some Brazilian media outlets reported that US citizens were among those killed. Reuters was unable to confirm those reports.

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