Pilot’s report says that fire began from the torch inside the basket; 8 people died and 13 survived
The pilot of and left 8 dead this Saturday (21.jun.2025) told the Civil Police and the newspaper Reason that the fire in the structure began from a torch. It is not known whether the object was the reserve or the main one used to light the flame that makes the balloon rise.
When the fire began to spread, the pilot stated that he tried to get the basket down so that people could jump. When he arrived closer to the ground, the professional gave this order to the passengers, but not everyone managed to jump in time.
Of the 21 people on board, 13 survived, 4 died while jumping from the balloon at high altitude and 4 died charred in the structure, according to the initial information.
Understand in the infographic of Poder360 How the fall would have been:
The tourist flight was held around 9:30 am in a region near the Cachoeirinha de Fátima neighborhood. Watch the moment of the fall (1min16s):
PC-SC (Civil Police of the State of Santa Catarina), Ulisses Gabriel, said the cause of the accident will be investigated. The PCI (Scientific Police) will also participate in the investigation, according to him.
Videos circulating on the internet indicates that the balloon had difficulty getting off the ground. It is not yet known whether because of the wind or structural problems that may have been ignored at the moment. Watch (1min25s):
Read more about the balloon accident in SC:
