A 17-year-old influencer died along with her family in a plane crash in Brazil
A tragedy occurred in Brazil that claimed the lives of 17-year-old influencer Sofia Murillo, her mother Wendy Manrique, and her grandmother Rocío Cubillos. The helicopter they were traveling in during their vacation crashed in the jungle.
Local law enforcement and rescue services are currently investigating the circumstances of the crash.
What was supposed to be an exciting excursion for the family from Colombia turned into a nightmare when the helicopter suddenly crashed. No one survived the crash.
The report states that the tourist helicopter crashed into the forest and caught fire. It has been reported that the pilot, Alessandro Rocha, also died in the crash.
On August 8, a Robinson R44 helicopter took off from Jacarepaguá Airport in Riode Janeiro and was heading to the city’s famous tourist attractions when it suddenly crashed into a dense forest near the Vista Chinesa observation deck, not far from Rio de Janeiro.
That day, a Colombian family of six split into two groups for the trip because the helicopter could carry only three passengers at a time.
They had come to Brazil to celebrate a relative’s 15th birthday. Sofia, her mother, and her grandmother boarded the first flight, while the others waited their turn at the airport. The family learned of the crash from the news.
According to the publication, the rugged terrain made it difficult for rescuers to reach the crash site. So far, only Sofia has been officially identified, as she had her documents with her.
Dental records and DNA testing will be used to identify the other victims.
Sofia was known to be popular online, where she shared makeup tips, hairstyle tutorials, and skincare advice. She had over 208,000 followers on TikTok and nearly 50,000 on Instagram.
“We were a very happy family. It hurts me because they were so young, especially my niece, who was a 17-year-old girl—very diligent, very hardworking. And it hurts because we were supposed to be on that helicopter,” said her uncle, Victor Manrique, who was waiting with his wife and daughter for the second flight.
Victor said that the family had used their last savings for the vacation, as well as a credit card, to pay for the flight.
Brazilian aviation investigators from Cenipa and the civil police are currently investigating the cause of the tragedy. It is reported that the aircraft had a valid certificate and permission to conduct sightseeing flights.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The Daily Star reports this.
