"People were jumping out, it was horrible": Hot air balloon catches fire and crashes in Brazil

On the morning of Saturday, June 21 , a hot air balloon crash was reported in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The first images and videos of the incident show the start of a fire in the structure, which ultimately caused the balloon to collapse and crash.

Witnesses on the ground observed the moment when some passengers jumped into the air to avoid the flames and escape the accident, causing panic among the population. The fire then engulfed the entire basket, and the remains of the balloon's fabric fell away.

The rescue team arrived at the scene with an ambulance crew to treat the survivors. The hot air balloon was carrying approximately 21 people on board, and so far, eight people have died and 13 have survived. The cause of the accident is still unknown.

In another video, the security team is shown in the area where the basket fell, with the area consumed by fire, the trees covered in ash, and some flames extinguished by the Fire Department.

“Accident update: 21 people on board - 8 dead, 13 survivors. Our teams continue to provide all necessary support to the families and victims. We continue to monitor the situation,” Santa Catarina Governor Jorginho Mello said via his X account.