Death toll in Brazil small plane crash rises to three

Three people died and two others were injured Monday after a small plane crashed into a residential building in the major Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte.

The pilot and copilot died on impact, while three other occupants were rushed to the hospital, the Minas Gerais state fire department said.

One of the injured succumbed to his injuries, while the other two remained hospitalized in stable condition, according to the local hospital foundation.

Despite the direct impact, no one inside the building was injured and the structure shows no "apparent risk" of collapse, firefighters said.

Broadcaster TV Globo's helicopter was in the area captured footage of the aircraft's final moments as it lost altitude, banked left to avoid taller buildings, and then slammed into the three-story building and fell to a parking lot.

Firefighters said it hit the building's stairwell, potentially avoiding more casualties.

"If it had hit the sides of the building, it could have struck an occupied apartment," a fire department officer told the G1 news website.

Images released by firefighters show rescuers helping residents evacuate the building.

According to data from the Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center, Brazil recorded 153 air accidents in 2025, with a death toll of 62.