A flight instructor who appeared in a soap opera has died, along with two others, in a helicopter crash.
The small Robinson R44 II went down in a densely wooded area, killing all three people on board.
The victims have been identified as Sérgio Nunes Miranda, Lucas Silva Souza, and Diego Dantas Lima Morais.
All three were licensed pilots and were on a training flight to familiarise themselves with the aircraft.
The helicopter crashed in the Praia da Brisa area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, moments after taking off from the Clube CEU aeroclub on Saturday (17 Jan) morning
Witnesses reported seeing the pilots performing circuit manoeuvres before the aircraft disappeared.
The helicopter, used for sightseeing flights, had recently undergone maintenance and all its documentation was up to date.
Diego, a flight instructor, had recently been part of the support team for the 2024 soap opera “Mania de Você”, as reported by Need To Know.
He piloted the aircraft in the scene where one of the main characters, played by actor Nicolas Prattes, was rescued.
The 36-year-old was active on social media, sharing moments from his travels, relationship, and sightseeing flights over Rio.
Lucas – a captain in the Fire Brigade, air rescue pilot, and law student – was flying the helicopter at the time of the crash.
At the 35-year-old’s funeral on Sunday (18 Jan), his mother said: “I’m proud to be Lucas’s mother. For his character, for his kindness. He loved helping people.
“He took this flight because it was extra money he could earn over the weekend, and he wanted to pay for my health insurance and his father’s.
“He said, ‘I’m not greedy for money. I want it for this – to help you.’”
Sérgio, 36, was a Brazilian Air Force major with more than 31,000 followers on Instagram, where he shared military-related content.
He coordinated a project supporting children and families in vulnerable situations in Rio’s Guarda favela.
Diego and Sérgio are to be laid to rest today (19 Jan).
The cause of the crash remains unknown, and authorities are investigating.
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