Aircraft crashes into apartment block in Brazil (GRAPHIC VIDEOS)

(SeaPRwire) –   Three people died, and two survived the Belo Horizonte crash against the odds

A small, single-engine Embraer 721C aircraft collided with a residential building in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte on Monday, as confirmed by local officials and fire crews.

The plane, carrying five individuals, reportedly departed from Pampulha Airport at 12:16pm and crashed minutes later in the Silveira district. Emergency responders were dispatched to the location at approximately 12:25pm.

Online videos depict the aircraft flying at a low altitude over the neighborhood, appearing to maneuver to miss higher structures, before crashing into the side of a four-story apartment building.

The point of impact was the stairwell connecting the third and fourth floors, which meant the living areas of the apartments were spared.

None of the building’s residents sustained injuries. As seen in another disturbing video, occupants attempted to assist one survivor who had sustained a severe leg fracture.

Those killed were the pilot, named by Globo News as 34-year-old Wellington Oliveira, and a passenger, Fernando Moreira Souto, 36, who was the son of Jequitinhonha’s mayor. Three people were transported to the hospital in serious condition, but one of them later died from their injuries.

Brazilian media reports, citing records, identified the plane as an EMB-721C model produced in 1979. Prior to the accident, the pilot had reportedly informed the Pampulha Airport control tower of issues during takeoff.

Authorities from Brazil’s air accident investigative bodies, including the Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA) and regional teams from SERIPA III, were deployed to the crash site. The Minas Gerais Civil Police have also initiated a probe to determine the cause.