4 Die in helicopter crash in Brazil

Sao Paulo, Mar 17 (EFE).- All four people aboard were killed Friday when a helicopter crashed here in Brazil’s largest city and financial capital, fire rescue said.

The accident took place at around 2:35 pm in the Barra Funda neighborhood on the west side of Sao Paulo and nine fire engines were dispatched to the scene.

Folha de Sao Paulo reported that two of the four victims were employees of Mirage Group Brasil, an event management company.

Caio Lucio de Benedetto Moreira, 30, coordinated the graphic design and social media team, while Antonio Cano dos Santos Jr., 42, was the firm’s financial director, Mirage Group told the newspaper.

Police identified the other fatalities as Wellington Roberto Palhares, 28, a friend of the Mirage Group employees, and pilot Joao Intorne Neto, 32.

The helicopter, operated by Helimarte Taxi Aereo, went down while en route back to Sao Paulo from the nearby beachfront city of Guaruja.

Fire department Col. Carlos Alberto de Camargo Jr. said that the pilot appeared to have tried to steer the chopper away from buildings and vehicles and authorities found no damage on the ground.

Sao Paulo, a sprawling metropolis of more than 12 million people, is famous for massive traffic jams and the city’s elite are accustomed to using helicopters to avoid the gridlock. EFE cms/dr