Eight killed in hot air balloon crash in southern Brazil

A hot air balloon carrying 21 people crashed in the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil, leaving 8 dead and 13 injured, according to Governor Jorginho Mello.

"Eight fatalities have been confirmed, 13 people survived," he wrote on social platform X.

According to the news outlet Metrópoles, all 13 survivors are receiving medical assistance. The report added that, for unknown reasons, the balloon caught fire, leading to an immediate fall from a significant height.

The incident occurred over the municipality of Praia Grande, a region in southern Santa Catarina known as Brazil’s "canyon capital" and a popular destination for hot air ballooning.