Life can be unpredictable and sometimes what seems like an inconvenience turns out to be a blessing in disguise. That’s exactly what one passenger in Brazil is experiencing after narrowly escaping a tragedy.
On Friday, August 9, a VoePass Flight 2283, carrying 61 people, tragically crashed into a gated community near Sao Paulo, Brazil. Sadly, all 61 passengers on board lost their lives in the crash.
The airline issued a statement: “The company regrets to inform that all 61 people on board flight 2283 died at the site. At this time, Voepass is prioritizing the provision of unrestricted assistance to the victims’ families and is fully cooperating with authorities to determine the causes of the accident.”
BREAKING: Voepass Flight 2283, a large passenger plane, crashes in Vinhedo, Brazil pic.twitter.com/wmpJLVYbB3
— BNO News (@BNONews) August 9, 2024
The flight had departed from Cascavel Airport at 11:46 AM local time and was headed for Guarulhos, Sao Paulo’s international airport. It reached an altitude of 16,404 feet by 12:23 PM before beginning its descent at 1:21 PM.
Footage showing the plane spinning out of control before the crash was captured from the ground and quickly circulated on social media. Fortunately, the plane did not hit any homes, and no individuals on the ground were injured.
The local mayor commented, “It fell next to a house, on a vacant lot. The resident woke up to a noise and ran out, along with others in the area who feared an explosion.”
One man, Adriano Assis, was supposed to be on that very flight but arrived late. Upon finding no agents at the gate, he waited at the counter and monitored the departure and arrival screen for updates.
“When I checked, it was already 10:30 AM, and there was a huge line here,” he recounted. “I waited until about 10:40 AM, then the gate agent said I wouldn’t be boarding because it was an hour before boarding.”
Despite pleading and arguing to be allowed on the flight, he was denied entry. Reflecting on the situation, Assis stated: “At that moment, I argued with him, but he saved my life. If he hadn’t done his job, I might not be here today. Sorry.”
The man, who was prevented from boarding the crashed plane because of being late, hugged the airport staff member after learning about the tragedy.
This is unbelievable… pic.twitter.com/wrplK3lVr4
— Cillian (@CilComLFC) August 9, 2024
Another individual and three friends also missed the flight as they were waiting at the wrong gate. One of them shared, “When it was 11:00 AM, I realized we were at the wrong gate. I asked to be put on the flight, but the agent rescheduled us for a later time.”
There was a warning of severe icing between 12,000 and 21,000 feet in the area where the plane crashed. In the final moments, the plane’s transponder recorded a drastic vertical speed shift between 8,000 and 24,000 feet per minute.
An aviation expert in Brazil explained: “Air crashes are rarely caused by a single factor. Usually, it takes a chain of events. In this case, ice may have been a contributing factor.”
In the final minute, the transponder of flight #2Z2283 showed a vertical speed between -8,000 and -24,000 feet per minute. pic.twitter.com/imJISi4R81
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) August 9, 2024
Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, extended his condolences and called for a moment of silence for the victims.
“We must mourn and care for the families and those affected. Lots of sadness in the air.”
