Brazil: Hot air balloon bursts into flames with eight confirmed dead, others fighting for life

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGERY

A hot air balloon carrying 21 passengers on a joy flight has burst into flames, leaving at least eight people dead and others fighting for life in Brazil.

Terrifying vision has emerged after the basket carrying the passengers on a joy flight over the southern region of Santa Catarina caught fire and set the balloon alight sending the aircraft into a spiral to the ground.

Images shared across social media captured the moments that some passengers decided to jump from the burning basket rather be burned alive.

Local officials and fire department officers confirmed the flight took off in the early hours of the morning on the outskirts of the city of Praia Grande

The tourism balloon caught fire during the flight in early morning hours, crashing in the city of Praia Grande, according to the state fire department.

Thirteen survivors were transported to nearby hospitals, according to the fire department.

Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurdled towards the ground.

“We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, why it happened. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can,” Governor Jorginho Mello said in a video on X.

Mello said he has asked authorities to head to the municipality “to do as much as possible to rescue, to help, to take to hospital, to comfort the families”.

Praia Grande is a common destination for hot-air ballooning, a popular activity in some parts of Brazil’s south during June festivities that celebrate Catholic saints such as Saint John.

Last Sunday, a balloon fell in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 others, G1 reported.

With AAP.