Hot Air Balloon Catches Fire Mid-Air and Falls from the Sky, Leaving 8 Dead – What Happened

An early morning balloon flight in Brazil turned catastrophic, drawing shocked reactions from witnesses and prompting a national response after a blaze broke out high above the ground.

A routine sightseeing balloon flight ended in horror on the morning of Saturday, June 21, in Praia Grande, a municipality in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. The balloon caught fire mid-air during a tourist route that included panoramic views of landmarks like the Bom Jesus Waterfall.

As the balloon hovered over the Cachoeirinha de Fátima neighborhood, what started as a discreet flame inside the basket quickly escalated. Within moments, the structure was engulfed in flames, leaving several passengers with no choice but to leap from the balloon before it plummeted to the ground.

Cell phone footage from the ground shows thick smoke pouring out of the balloon's basket as it hovered in the sky, with the envelope crumpling before the balloon came crashing down.

The state governor of Santa Catarina confirmed the incident later that day, writing on social media, "21 people on board — 8 fatalities, 13 survivors. Our teams continue to provide all necessary support to the families and victims. We are still monitoring the situation."

The pilot, one of the survivors, told authorities that the fire started from a backup torch stored inside the basket. It was intended for use if the main burner failed, but it unexpectedly ignited. "I don't know if it stayed lit or if it reignited on its own, but it was the torch that started it all," he said.

When he noticed the flame, he attempted a rapid descent and instructed passengers to jump. Some obeyed and survived with injuries. Once the basket's weight dropped, the balloon rose again with the remaining passengers.

The fire spread quickly, destroying the structure and causing it to collapse into the forest below. None of the passengers still in the basket survived. Initial reports from the Military Fire Department confirmed that four people died at the scene. Rescuers later found more victims among the wreckage.

By the end of the morning, the death toll was revised to eight. Two survivors were taken to the hospital, though their injuries were not life-threatening. Officials noted the possibility of a 22nd, unregistered passenger. A woman may have taken up a seat left vacant on another balloon.

Residents described the chaos they witnessed from the ground. "We saw everything! It passed over our house, people were jumping, it was terrible," one person wrote on social media.

Another resident told a local publication, "When the balloon started to catch fire, people were jumping. They were trying to escape the flames."

According to witnesses, more than 30 balloons were flying over the area that morning. The one that caught fire was among the last to take off and may have brushed against a tree before catching fire, pushed by strong winds.

Praia Grande is a well-known tourist hub referred to as the "Capital of Canyons." It is famous for its panoramic hot air balloon rides. Ballooning is a popular activity in the region, and the city often hosts events dedicated to the sport.

The balloon operator stated that the company had complied with all safety regulations and previously had a clean safety record. However, the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Civil Police, the Scientific Police, and several emergency teams remain at the crash site.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva offered his condolences, posting, "I want to express my solidarity with the families of the victims of the accident involving a balloon that occurred this Saturday morning in Santa Catarina. And to place the Federal Government at the disposal of the victims and the state and municipal forces working on the rescue and care of the survivors."

This accident comes on the heels of another ballooning tragedy almost a week prior, when an airborne mishap led to a deadly crash involving dozens of passengers. The incident prompted a criminal investigation and raised concerns over flight safety regulations.

Juliana Alves Prado Pereira, a 27-year-old psychologist from Pouso Alegre, Minas Gerais, died when the hot air balloon she was riding in crashed on Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Capela do Alto, São Paulo.

She was with her husband, Leandro de Aquino Pereira, celebrating their first Valentine's Day as a married couple. They had recently tied the knot, according to Leandro's family.

The accident occurred around 8 a.m. in the rural Distrito do Porto neighborhood, near the Vereador Geraldo Portela municipal road. The balloon had departed earlier from Boituva, a known hub for recreational ballooning in São Paulo state. It was carrying 33 passengers, along with the pilot, Fabio Salvador Pereira, and an assistant.

According to the Military Police, the balloon made two hard impacts with the ground before coming to a full stop. Witnesses reported that during these impacts, four passengers were thrown from the basket.

Eleven others sustained minor injuries and were taken to emergency rooms in Capela do Alto and the Sorocaba Hospital Complex (CHS).

A video shared on Instagram shortly after the incident showed the balloon flying unusually low before the crash.

Pilot Fabio was arrested at the scene. He was charged with aggravated involuntary manslaughter and unauthorized operation of a balloon. Authorities confirmed that his license was valid only for private flights and that his documentation was irregular.

In his testimony, Fabio said he had tried to land the balloon in several open areas as per standard procedures. He claimed a strong and unexpected gust of wind disrupted the descent and that some passengers jumped before the balloon fully touched down.

Gabrielle Rosa do Nascimento, a 27-year-old university student, and her fiancé, Tiago Ribeiro Kempinas, a 37-year-old engineer, were also on board. The couple had traveled seven hours overnight from Marechal Hermes in Rio de Janeiro to Boituva for what was meant to be a surprise engagement.

Gabrielle shared with a local news outlet that the conditions in Boituva were concerning. "Since it was very windy in Boituva, I asked a woman — who I believe was the company's receptionist — if we were still going to fly. She said yes," she recounted.

Gabrielle added that they were taken to a site later identified as unlicensed, where two balloons were being prepared for flight.

The woman also described how panic spread among the passengers once the balloon was airborne. She recalled that Juliana was already visibly injured and unresponsive by the time of the second descent attempt.

"Her husband was trying to keep her alive. By that point, the pilot was also injured. We hovered for about 15 more minutes until he spotted a field, where we crashed and were dragged along," Gabrielle shared.

Once the balloon hit the ground for the second time, many passengers jumped from the basket to escape. Gabrielle and Tiago were among the injured. She added, "What was supposed to be a happy day, an engagement, turned into a nightmare for life."

Leandro's family, speaking after the crash, expressed sorrow and raised concerns about the safety of the flight.

They also remembered Juliana as someone kind and loving. "She was a very, very loved person. I can't believe Ju is gone. I still can't believe it, honestly. A trip like that took her away," revealed Maria Ivone Aquino, Leandro's grandmother.

Jéssica Aquino Pereira, Leandro’s aunt, criticized the decision to allow the balloon to take off. "She really wanted to go on that ride. But seriously, how can they put 33 people inside a balloon in weather like this? The weather was terrible today, very windy — it's total negligence on the part of the people who put them in there."

Authorities have launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash. Forensic teams and officials from the Regional Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Service (Seripa) were dispatched to the crash site. As of now, no official determination has been made regarding what exactly led to the incident.