Horror as at least 10 people killed and 17 injured after plane crashes into popular tourist town in Brazil
AT least 10 people have been killed and 17 others injured after a plane crashed into a popular Brazilian tourist town.
The plane is understood to have struck the chimney of a building and then a house before crashing into a furniture store in Gramado.
Luiz Claudio Galeazzi, the aircraft's pilot, died along with the other nine passengers - all of whom were members of his family.
In addition, 17 people on the ground were injured, including two critically injured persons, said the town's governor Eduardo Leite.
Many were treated in hospital for smoke inhalation.
It is not immediately clear what caused the crash.
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Local media reported that the passengers were members of the same family and were travelling to Sao Paulo state from another town in Rio Grande do Sul state.
Nestled in a mountainous region, Gramado is the most popular tourist destination in Rio Grande do Sul
The accident occurred just days before Christmas, a particularly busy period for the city.
It comes after four people died in a horror helicopter crash after an air ambulance collided with a hospital.
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The emergency chopper took off in heavy fog in southwest Turkey before plunging down the side of the building moments later in the deadly smash.
It was taking off from the Mugla Training and Research Hospital, the health ministry said in a statement.
Terrifying footage shows the helicopter taking flight in very low visibility.
The doomed journey begins slowly as it climbs through the air before vanishing into the fog.
Moments later it crashed into the side of the fourth floor of the hospital building.
Harrowing pictures of the Turkish emergency facility show several of the panels ripped from the building.
The helicopter is said to have rapidly fallen to the ground and smashed into pieces on impact.
Images show the wreckage surrounded by debris from the smashed-up hospital wall.
All four crew members on board - made up of two pilots, a doctor and another medical worker - died in the crash.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was left devastated over the fatal collision.
He said on social media: “The news that four of our brothers lost their lives as a result of the crash of an ambulance helicopter affiliated with our Ministry of Health in Muğla broke our hearts.
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“I pray to God to have mercy on our deceased personnel and offer my condolences to their families, colleagues and our entire healthcare community.”
Investigations into the exact cause of the accident are ongoing.
