A Robinson R44 II helicopter crashed into a wooded area in Guaratiba, western Rio de Janeiro, on Saturday morning (January 17), killing three people on board. The victims include a Fire Department captain, a Brazilian Air Force major, and a civilian flight instructor. Authorities are investigating the causes of the accident.
The accident happened around 9:20 a.m., when the PS-GJS prefixed helicopter took off from Clube Céu aerodrome in Sepetiba after a pilot change. Preliminary information indicates the aircraft had landed at Aeroclube Guaratiba for refueling before its final takeoff from Recreio. Videos captured at the site show the helicopter performing maneuvers moments before the crash, which occurred in a wooded area near the intersection of Avenida Levy Neves and Rua Tasso da Silveira.
The victims were identified as Lucas Silva Souza, a Fire Department captain and the aircraft's pilot, who served in the Air Operations Group (GOA) and was studying Law; Sérgio Nunes Miranda, a Brazilian Air Force (FAB) aviator major and coordinator of the Semeando o Amanhã Project, an NGO aiding vulnerable children in the Guarda Community; and Diego Dantas Lima Morais, a flight instructor and the only civilian, who worked for SkyRio, a company offering panoramic flights over landmarks like Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain.
Fire Department teams arrived at the scene and found the three victims lifeless. The Fire Department issued a statement mourning Lucas: “Throughout his career in the Corporation, Lucas stood out for his professionalism, ethics, and commitment to the mission of saving lives. His competence, dedication to the profession, and especially his love for flying will echo forever in the memory of all who had the honor of working with him”.
Diego's partner, Marcelle Rios, paid tribute on social media: “I will love you forever, my beautiful pilot! Watch over me from heaven, where you always loved to be”. Friends of Sérgio also shared their grief, with one saying: “Just a few days ago I was telling someone how you taught me to choose lemons. And today I receive this news”.
The Brazilian Air Force, through the Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA), dispatched investigators to collect data, preserve elements, and assess damage to the aircraft. The exact circumstances of the crash are still under investigation.
