Four people, including three Colombian tourists from the same family, were killed after a helicopter crashed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday.
The aircraft went down inside Tijuca National Park, a densely forested area situated along the slopes of the mountains surrounding the city.
Colombian Consul-General in Rio de Janeiro Diana Paez confirmed the deaths to AFP, while firefighters said the pilot and three women were killed in the crash.
Images released by the fire service showed the wreckage still smoking on a steep and difficult-to-reach hillside, highlighting the challenges faced by rescue teams at the scene.
Paez said the three women were part of a family group visiting Rio de Janeiro to celebrate a 15-year-old girl’s birthday. The group of six had been split into two flights because the helicopter could only accommodate three passengers at a time.
The girl’s grandmother, aunt and cousin were among those killed, while the teenager was due to take a second flight later with her father and his partner.
The Colombian consulate is assisting Brazilian authorities with the identification of the victims, a process made more difficult by the condition of the bodies following the crash.
The helicopter came down near Vista Chinesa, a well-known Chinese-style pagoda and high-altitude viewpoint offering panoramic views of Rio de Janeiro from within the surrounding forest.
The latest crash comes just weeks after two helicopters collided in Rio’s airspace in June, killing six people, including United States singer Oliver Tree and Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim.
Helicopter tours remain a popular attraction among visitors seeking aerial views of Rio de Janeiro’s landmarks and its coastal landscape.
Following Saturday’s crash, Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere said he had asked Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency to strengthen monitoring measures to improve helicopter flight safety.
