Two helicopters collided in mid-air over Rio de Janeiro on Sunday morning, triggering a chain of explosions that killed all six people on board, including American singer-songwriter Oliver Tree. The 32-year-old alternative rock artist, best known for hits such as Life Goes On and Miss You, was named in tributes as one of the victims, with YouTuber KSI among those paying tribute.
The collision occurred at around 8am local time in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes area of the city’s southwest zone. One helicopter plunged into an abandoned churchyard, while the other smashed into a car park, where flames quickly spread through parked electric vehicles, causing further explosions.
“American singer Oliver Tree among six killed when two helicopters collided mid-air over Rio de Janeiro, triggering explosions.”
According to local outlet Metróples, Tree was in one helicopter along with passengers Lucas Vignale, Gaspar Prim, Lucas Brito Chaves and pilot Alexandre Souza. The second aircraft was piloted only by Charles Marsillac.
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere confirmed that “foreign nationals on board one of the aircraft”, but did not give further details. Formal identification of the victims has been hampered by the severity of the burns.
Fire services spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Fabio Contreiras told CNN Brasil at the scene that it was unclear how the helicopters collided. “Parts of the aircraft are scattered hundreds of meters away, so the information we have is still very preliminary,” he said. “We really need to get the recordings and videos to understand exactly what happened.”
Contreiras said rescue workers discovered one helicopter in flames among the electric cars, with five victims inside. The second helicopter, found some 100 metres away, was carrying only the pilot, who also died. He stressed that the crash occurring in a parking area had likely prevented a higher death toll. “Given the surrounding residences, the accident could have been far more tragic,” he said.
The spokesman highlighted the challenge of fighting fires in electric vehicles, which contain lithium-ion batteries. “When this type of battery catches fire, it releases highly toxic gases and intensifies both the temperature and the severity of the blaze. Extinguishing a fire in one of these vehicles requires three to four times the amount of water needed for a fire in a standard car.”
The Brazilian Air Force was called to the scene to carry out initial action on the two aircraft, registrations PP-MAC and PR-DJJ. As investigators gather recordings and witness footage, the question of how two helicopters came to collide over a densely populated area remains unanswered.