Eight Cancer Specialists Killed in Brazil Plane Crash; Seven Others Avoided Disaster by Changing Flights Last Minute
Two trainee doctors from the Uopeccan Cancer Hospital in Cascavel confirmed among the fatalities
Eight Cancer Doctors Among the Victims in Brazil Plane Crash; Seven Avoided Disaster by Changing Flights
Eight Cancer Specialists Killed in Brazil Plane Crash; Seven Others Avoided Disaster by Changing Flights Last Minute On Friday, at least eight cancer specialists traveling to an oncology conference were killed in a plane crash in Vinhedo, Brazil. The ATR 72 twin-engine aircraft, operated by Veopass Airlines, was en route to São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport when it crashed, claiming the lives of all 62 individuals on board, including 58 passengers and four crew members.
Emergency crews confirmed on Saturday that they had recovered the remains of all victims, including one initially unaccounted for. Eduardo Baptistella from the Regional Medical Council confirmed the deaths of the eight doctors, who were on their way to a conference dedicated to cancer treatment. Baptistella also noted that 15 doctors were originally scheduled to be on the flight, but seven had changed their plans and traveled on an earlier flight.
The Uopeccan Cancer Hospital in Cascavel has identified two of its trainee doctors among the fatalities. Paraná state governor Ratinho Junior also reported that at least eight physicians were on the ill-fated flight, along with four professors from Unioeste University in western Paraná.
Rescue workers and Brazilian emergency teams have moved the remains of most victims—34 men and 28 women—to São Paulo’s police morgue for identification. The pilot and co-pilot were among the first to be identified, according to Vinhedo’s mayor, Dario Pacheco.
The crash’s victim list includes four individuals with dual citizenship: three Venezuelans and one Portuguese woman, as reported by regional carrier Voepass. Firefighters at the scene are using seat assignments, physical descriptions, documents, and personal belongings, such as cell phones, to aid in identifying the victims. Families are being brought to São Paulo to provide DNA samples to assist with identification, according to state civil defense coordinator Henguel Pereira.
Investigation into the crash is ongoing, with authorities analyzing the aircraft’s “black box,” which contains voice recordings and flight data. Marcelo Moreno, head of the Brazilian aviation accident investigation center Cenipa, updated the press on the ongoing investigation in Vinhedo.
