A young couple posted a tragic selfie just moments before they were killed by a twister at a waterfall.
Leone Barbosa, 38, and Thássia de Almeida, 36, were swimming in the waterfall’s plunge pool when they were surprised by a flash flood.
The victims were with a group of 12 people and a tour guide when they were swept to their deaths.
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They found themselves stranded from the others in the rapidly rising body of water.
They were reportedly carried away by the currents and a waterspout that had formed at around 3pm on Saturday (19 Apr).
The couple disappeared at the Bocaína Waterfall in the Serra do Intendente State Park located north of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The guide and two group members immediately left the others to contact the emergency services.
They called the fire brigade at around 7pm.
Due to the difficult terrain, the rescue team didn’t arrive at the scene until around 1:45am that night.
Emergency workers found the other group members who were uninjured but in a state of shock.
They had to wait until dawn to make the return journey with the distraught group members, as reported by Need To Know.
Meanwhile, firefighters continued searching for the missing couple.
Their bodies were found at around midday on Sunday (20 Apr).
As a result, the Fire Department and the Minas Gerais State Forestry Institute decided to temporarily close the area of Peixe Tolo Canyon.
An investigation into the couple’s death is ongoing.
On social media, Thássia ran a travel page called ‘Tha Who Travels’.
She said she started to realise her dream of travelling around the world about a decade ago.
She described herself as a “nature lover” and “a fan of physical activity and healthy eating”.
Just before they were swept to their deaths, the couple posed for a selfie in the State Park.
Thássia said: “Planting another seed in our garden of memories.”
They were tragically killed just moments later.
Leone’s last post on Instagram was in June 2024.
He shared a photo of him cuddling Thássia at Jalapão State Park with the message: “I love this photo, it reminds me of how strong we can be with those we love.
“Jalapão was a distant dream trip for a far-off time, but it became reality because we could count on each other.”
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