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2026 Rio de Janeiro mid-air collision

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2026 Rio de Janeiro mid-air collision
Aftermath of the accident can be seen as the smoke rises up
Accident
Date14 June 2026 (2026-06-14)
SummaryMid-air collision; under investigation
Site
Map
Total fatalities6
Total survivors0
First aircraft

A Bell 206 similar to the first helicopter involved
TypeBell 206B JetRanger II
OperatorRG8 Aviation (Used by Turfik Comércio de Frutas Ltda.)
RegistrationPP-MAC
Occupants5
Passengers4
Crew1
Fatalities5
Survivors0
Second aircraft

PR-DJJ, the second helicopter involved in the collision, seen in 2025
TypeEurocopter HB350 B Esquilo
OperatorPrivate
RegistrationPR-DJJ
DestinationCarmelo Jordão-Angra dos Reis Airport
Occupants1
Passengers0
Crew1
Fatalities1
Survivors0

On 14 June 2026, two helicopters collided mid-air in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood, in the southwest zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The victims were American singer-songwriter Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspi, Argentine director and screenwriter Lucas A. Vignale, Brazilian music producer Lucas Frota and pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac.

Background

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Aircraft

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The aircraft involved were PR-DJJ, a privately owned Eurocopter HB350 B Esquilo manufactured in 2012, and PP-MAC, a Bell 206B JetRanger III manufactured in 1999 and operated by RG8 Aviation, and legally registered as belonging to a fruit trading company in Brazil (Turfik Comércio de Frutas Ltda).[1][2][3] Oswaldo de Luca Filho, the owner of PP-MAC, had previously been fined by the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC) in July 2025 for refusing to show books, accounting documents, information, and statistics to inspection agents.[4]

Passengers and crew

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American singer-songwriter Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspi, Argentine director and screenwriter Lucas A. Vignale and Brazilian music producer Lucas Frota were among the victims of the accident

The pilot of the Bell helicopter was Alexandre Souza, and the passengers were Brazilian music producer Lucas Frota, American musician Oliver Tree, Argentine director and screenwriter Lucas A. Vignale, and YouTuber Gaspi. The sole occupant of the Eurocopter was pilot Charles Marsillac.[5]

Tree was in Brazil for his World's First World Tour in support of the album Love You Madly Hate You Badly, which had 70 planned concerts across 30 countries. He performed a concert in São Paulo on 6 June, and his next concert was planned for 1 July in Lisbon, Portugal.[6][7][8]

Accident

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CCTV footage showing the second helicopter falling to the ground

The first aircraft took off from Angra dos Reis, and the second from Jacarepaguá, both in compliance with regulations.[9] The aircraft collided at roughly 8:59 a.m. Brasília time, above the grounds of an abandoned church that had been rented by a BYD car dealership, on the block of Avenida das Américas [pt] between Beth Lago and Rivadávia Campos streets.[10] The Bell exploded upon impact, causing a fire that affected about 20 cars. The column of smoke was seen for miles around, including from the Zico Football Center. The Eurocopter did not catch fire and crashed with its landing gear facing upwards.[11] Fuselages were scattered within a radius of at least 100 m (330 ft), with a tail section being found on the roof of a neighboring building.[10][12][13] A security camera captured one of the helicopters falling.[14][15] A witness reportedly saw one of the helicopters in flames, and a passenger jumping from another aircraft before it hit the ground.[16]

Aftermath

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About 45 military personnel and 15 vehicles were deployed to the scene. A lane of the avenue was closed for rescue operations. By 10:00 a.m., the fire had been brought under control, and firefighters were searching for fuel leaks.[10] Most of the bodies from the Bell 206 were burned beyond recognition.[17] Shortly after the crash, Brazilian authorities were able to confirm the identities of five out of the six victims. However, Tree's body, which sustained extensive damage, was unable to be confirmed at the time. On June 16, dental analysis confirmed Tree as the sixth deceased.[18]

Following the accident, Claudio Caiado [pt], state deputy in the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro, proposed a bill providing for greater transparency, monitoring and sanctions for air operations in the state.[19]

Victims

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Local sources reported the list of the victims:[10][20][21][22]

Occupants of the Bell 206:

  • Alexandre Souza, Brazilian pilot
  • Oliver Tree, American singer-songwriter and rapper
  • Lucas A. Vignale, Argentine director and screenwriter
  • Gaspi, Argentine YouTuber and streamer
  • Lucas Frota, Brazilian music producer and DJ

Occupants of the AS350:

  • Charles Marsillac, Brazilian pilot

Investigation

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The Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center unit of the Brazilian Air Force and the National Civil Aviation Agency confirmed they will investigate the accident.[23] The local fire department, the Traffic Engineering Company, and the 31st Military Police Battalion were working on the site.[24] Local civil police requested a forensic examination of the site.[9] Hours after the crash, Eduardo Cavaliere, mayor of Rio de Janeiro, said that there were "foreign nationals on board one of the aircraft" without specifying who.[15] Fire services spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Fabio Contreiras said information was still preliminary, and that the crash could have been more serious considering the surrounding residences.[15] Brazilian police investigator Alan Luxardo said that human error was a possible crash cause, noting that police were determining if the pilot or air traffic controllers were responsible.[25]

Reactions

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Numerous notable figures made social media tributes to Tree.[26][27][28] Several Brazilian artists and others gave their condolences in response to the deaths.[29] In the Spanish-speaking world, many YouTubers and streamers mourned the accident and death of Gaspi.[30]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Mid-air collision Accident Aerospatiale AS 350B2 Ecureuil PR-DJJ, Sunday 14 June 2026". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  2. ↑ "Mid-air collision Accident Bell 206B JetRanger III PP-MAC, Sunday 14 June 2026". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  3. ↑ "Helicóptero que caiu no Rio é modelo Esquilo; veja detalhes" [Helicopter that crashed in Rio is an Esquilo model; see details.]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 14 June 2026. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  4. ↑ "Dono de helicóptero envolvido em acidente no RJ foi autuado pela Anac em 2025" [Owner of helicopter involved in accident in Rio de Janeiro was fined by ANAC in 2025.] (in Portuguese). G1. 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  5. ↑ "Polícia Civil identifica seis mortos em acidente aéreo no Rio; veja quem são" [Civil Police identify six people killed in Rio plane crash; see who they are]. O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  6. ↑ Grutter, Felipe (14 June 2026). "Morre o cantor Oliver Tree, aos 32 anos, em acidente de helicóptero no Rio" [Singer Oliver Tree dies at 32 in helicopter crash in Rio]. Rolling Stone Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  7. ↑ Glynn, Paul (15 June 2026). "US singer-songwriter Oliver Tree dies in helicopter collision in Brazil". BBC News. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  8. ↑ Foster, Liz; Ingram, Paige (15 June 2026). "American singer Oliver Tree's final post before horror helicopter crash". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  9. 1 2 Bird, Daniel (14 June 2026). "Four stars die in mid-air helicopter disaster - everything we know so far". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Pierre, Eduardo; Augusto, Francini; Faria, Klara; Bispo, Mariana (14 June 2026). "Seis morrem em queda de 2 helicópteros no Recreio; aeronaves colidiram no ar" [Six people die in helicopter crash in Recreio; aircraft collided in mid-air]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  11. ↑ Burke, Minyvonne; Mullen, Austin (16 June 2026). "What we know about fatal Brazil helicopter crash; singer Oliver Tree among 6 passengers". NBC News. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  12. ↑ Saldanha, Rafael; Figueiredo, Carolina; Lopes, Bruna (14 June 2026). "Helicópteros caem no RJ: aeronaves estavam em situação regular na Anac" [Helicopters crash in Rio de Janeiro: aircraft were in good standing with ANAC (Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency)]. CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  13. ↑ "US musician Oliver Tree, 32, killed in helicopter crash in Brazil". The Guardian. 14 June 2026. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  14. ↑ "Vídeo mostra momento em que helicóptero cai no Rio de Janeiro; veja" [Video shows the moment a helicopter crashes in Rio de Janeiro; watch]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 14 June 2026. Archived from the original on 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  15. 1 2 3 "American musician Oliver Tree killed in helicopter crash in Brazil". France 24. 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  16. ↑ Hennessy, Peter (15 June 2026). "'Horrifying' aftermath of helicopter crash which killed singer and five others". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  17. ↑ "Vídeo mostra momento da colisão entre helicópteros no Rio" [Video shows moment of helicopter collision in Rio]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 15 June 2026. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  18. ↑ Machado, Ana Clara; Farias, Julia (16 June 2026). "Cantor Oliver Tree é a última vítima identificada de queda de helicóptero" [Singer Oliver Tree is the latest victim to be identified from the helicopter crash.]. CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  19. ↑ "Projeto na ALERJ prevê fiscalização de aeronaves após acidente no Recreio" [A bill in the Rio de Janeiro State Legislative Assembly (ALERJ) proposes aircraft inspections following an accident in Recreio]. Diário do Rio (in Brazilian Portuguese). 18 June 2026. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "DJ Lucas Frota, morto em acidente no Rio, fez carreira entre Miami e LA" [DJ Lucas Frota, who died in an accident in Rio, built a career between Miami and LA]. UOL Splash (in Brazilian Portuguese). 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  21. ↑ "Singer Oliver Tree Dead at 32 After Helicopter Crash in Brazil". TMZ. 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  22. ↑ Dunn, Jack (14 June 2026). "Oliver Tree, 'Alien Boy' and 'Life Goes On' Musician, Dies at 32 in Helicopter Crash". Variety. Archived from the original on 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  23. ↑ "FAB vai investigar causas do acidente com helicópteros no Rio de Janeiro" [Brazilian Air Force to investigate causes of helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro] (in Portuguese). G1. 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  24. ↑ Bird, Daniel (14 June 2026). "American singer dies aged 32 in tragic helicopter crash". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  25. ↑ Bird, Daniel (15 June 2026). "Helicopter crash which killed Oliver Tree 'might've been caused by human error'". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  26. ↑ Nicholas, Mike (15 June 2026). "Tributes flow after US Musician, Oliver Tree killed in helicopter crash". Cover Media. rova.nz. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  27. ↑ Brandle, Lars (18 June 2026). "Post Malone Dedicates Toronto Concert to Oliver Tree". Billboard. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  28. ↑ Naveed, Fizza (15 June 2026). "Oliver Tree remembered by Melanie Martinez, KSI, Diplo and more Hollywood stars after fatal crash". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  29. ↑ "Famosos lamentam morte de Oliver Tree, vítima de acidente aéreo no Rio" [Celebrities mourn the death of Oliver Tree, victim of a plane crash in Rio]. CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  30. ↑ Camacho, Pedro (15 June 2026). "YouTube Creators Mourn Popular Argentine Youtuber Gaspi After Fatal Helicopter Crash in Rio: 'Life is So Unfair'". Latin Times. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
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