A plane plunged nose-first into the sea off a packed beach, killing the pilot in front of horrified sunbathers.
The light aircraft was towing an advertising banner when it crashed, sinking within seconds.
Firefighters rushed to the scene with jet skis, boats, divers and aerial support, but it took more than two hours to recover the body.
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The pilot was later identified as Luiz Ricardo Leite de Amorim, originally from Goiânia. He was the sole occupant of the single-engine plane, and it was his first day on the job.
He had just turned 40 on Tuesday (23 Dec).
The tragedy unfolded just off busy Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday (27 Dec),
The aircraft had taken off shortly beforehand from Jacarepaguá Airport, as reported by Need To Know.
Risk management expert Gerardo Portela told local media: “From the footage, it’s clear the aircraft suffered some kind of malfunction and struggled to stay airborne – most likely an engine failure or a problem with the control system.
“At that point, the pilot would need to release the banner, because it creates drag and can compromise his final chance of making a forced landing by gliding to the water.”
The aircraft was operated by Visual Propaganda Aérea, which authorities say did not have authorisation for the advertising campaign.
Officials have confirmed the company will be fined for “unauthorised advertising”.
In a statement, the firm said: “The aircraft involved in the accident was fully up to date with all required maintenance and certifications.”
It added that it is cooperating fully with investigators.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and the wreckage is being removed by a specialist company.
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