California-born singer-songwriter Oliver Tree, best known for hit tracks Life Goes On, When I’m Down and Miss You, has reportedly died following a mid-air helicopter collision in Brazil on Sunday.
According to police sources cited by AFP, the 32-year-old artist was among six people killed when two helicopters collided before crashing in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes district in western Rio de Janeiro.
Authorities said official identification of the victims has yet to be completed as the bodies were severely burned in the fire that erupted after the collision.
The crash occurred above a commercial area before both helicopters plunged into the parking lot of an electric vehicle dealership. The impact sparked a major blaze, with around 20 vehicles reportedly destroyed by fire.
One of the helicopters was carrying five passengers, including Tree, while the second aircraft was occupied only by its pilot. All six individuals on board the two aircraft were killed.
Among those believed to have been travelling with Tree were a Brazilian music producer, an Argentine video director and Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim, better known online as Gaspi.
Tree rose to international fame with songs including Life Goes On, Miss You and Alien Boy. He amassed more than 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify, while his music generated hundreds of millions of streams worldwide.
Just days before the tragedy, Tree had shared videos on Instagram documenting his time in Brazil as part of a global concert tour spanning more than 30 countries. His next scheduled performance was set to take place in Lisbon, Portugal, on July 1.
Fire Department spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Fabio Contreiras said the cause of the crash remains under investigation. He noted that aircraft debris was scattered across hundreds of metres, complicating the investigation.
Rescue teams discovered one helicopter engulfed in flames with five victims inside, while the second aircraft was located approximately 100 metres away. The pilot of that helicopter was also confirmed dead.
