A plane carrying Brazilian singer Rey Vaqueiro burst into flames Sunday after overshooting the runway during a landing attempt, but all eight people aboard escaped without serious injuries.
The Cessna 550 Bravo crashed into woodland near the airfield in Parelhas, northeastern Brazil, in the early hours of the morning. Dramatic footage shared online showed the aircraft engulfed in flames.
Both engines caught fire in the crash. Vaqueiro, 26, survived along with five members of his entourage and the plane’s two pilots. His most-streamed song on Spotify has been played 37.7 million times.
Firefighters battled the blaze for five hours before bringing it under control.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation. However, local fire chief Lima Verde suggested that brake failure may have caused the aircraft to run beyond the end of the runway, CNN Brasil reported.
Investigators said there appeared to be no issues with the runway. They also said the 20-year-old aircraft’s airworthiness certificate was valid until May 2027, according to Globo.
Vaqueiro, known for songs including “Displicente – Ao Vivo” and “Veraozao (Ta Color),” said the crash forced the cancellation of his scheduled Sunday performances in Custódia and Canhotinho.
A statement confirmed that all eight people aboard were safe and were “receiving all [the] necessary medical care.”
“It’s unimaginable to think about a plane crash in Parelhas. But it happened,” Mayor Tiago Almeida wrote on Instagram Sunday.
“In the face of a situation no one expected to live, health professionals and an entire team rallied together to care, welcome and do what they can in the face of such a delicate emergency.”
Vaqueiro’s concert in Parambu, scheduled for Monday, has also been canceled.
The singer still has eight more concerts scheduled throughout the week.
It remains unclear if these will go ahead.
The crash happened just as the singer was approaching the midway point of his “Septembro do Rey” tour across the South American nation.
