Two helicopters collided over Rio de Janeiro and crashed into a car dealership parking lot, killing six people—including singer Oliver Tree. Firefighters extinguished a blaze as an investigation got underway.
Sunday morning in Rio de Janeiro started like any other—until two helicopters collided in midair and came down into a car dealership’s parking lot in the city’s western zone.
The Military Fire Department of Rio de Janeiro said the helicopters crashed just after takeoff. and the impact ignited a fire among vehicles parked on-site. Firefighters moved quickly and extinguished the blaze. Debris was left scattered around the crash area as emergency workers inspected the scene.
All six people aboard were killed, local firefighters said. One of them was Oliver Tree, the American singer and comedian whose name appeared on the passenger list provided to aviation authorities.
Even with that list, officials have been unable to identify the bodies of those killed in the crash.
The collision remains under investigation to determine what caused the midair disaster.
Police said burned vehicles filled the dealership lot after the aircraft hit, and investigators were working to piece together how the helicopters met in the air.
Among the other victims identified through passenger information was content creator Gaspar Prim Díaz—known as Gaspi—who was reported to be on one of the helicopters. Blender, an Argentine streaming channel, said on its X account that Gaspi had more than 2.8 million YouTube followers and was 23. “Thanks for your art, your magic and your sensibility, every one of us will miss you,” Blender wrote.
Witness accounts added to the horror. Fernandes de Freitas, a tire repair worker, said he saw one helicopter burning after the collision. He also said he noticed that one passenger jumped out of the other aircraft before it hit the ground.
“It was terrifying, absolutely horrifying,” De Freitas said.
The crash comes just a day after a 21-year-old died in Brazil during a bungee jump, intensifying the shock felt locally and online as people watched another airborne accident unfold.
Oliver Tree’s recent activity also surfaced amid the news. He performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 4. He also posted an Instagram video on Saturday showing him playing soccer in a Brazilian neighborhood.
Oliver Tree Rio de Janeiro helicopter crash Brazil aviation accident car dealership parking lot Military Fire Department Gaspar Prim Díaz Gaspi Blender midair collision emergency response