Hot-air balloon crash in Brazil kills eight people

SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Eight people were killed after a hot-air balloon carrying 21 passengers, including the pilot, crashed on Saturday in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, state officials said.

The tourism balloon caught fire during the flight in early morning hours, crashing in a forest area in the city of Praia Grande, according to the state fire department.

The city is a popular tourist spot for balloon trips in Brazil. The Santa Catarina government estimates that 25 to 30 hot-air balloons depart daily from Praia Grande in peak season, with most of them having capacity to transport as many as 25 people.

Thirteen survivors were transported to nearby hospitals, according to the fire department. A spokesperson of the department told local news outlet CNN Brasil that none of them were with their lives at risk.

In a post on X, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed solidarity with the families of the victims, saying the federal government is available to local and state forces acting in the case.

(Reporting by Andre Romani; editing by Diane Craft and Franklin Paul)

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