A small plane crashed into shops in the center of the tourist city of Gramado on Sunday, killing all 10 people on board. Initial reports indicated there were no survivors. "Unfortunately, initial reports indicate that the aircraft's occupants did not survive," Governor Eduardo Leite said in a post on social media platform X.
At least 15 people were taken to a local hospital after suffering smoke inhalation from the fire sparked by the crash, according to the public security office of Rio Grande do Sul state.
The plane reportedly hit the chimney of a home and then the second floor of a building before crashing into a mobile phone shop in a residential area. Local media reported that the passengers were members of the same family, traveling from another town in Rio Grande do Sul state to Sao Paulo.
Gramado, located in a mountainous region, is the most popular tourist destination in Rio Grande do Sul. The incident occurred just days before Christmas, a particularly busy time for the city’s tourists and locals. Earlier this year, Gramado was severely impacted by floods that claimed dozens of lives and dealt a heavy blow to the state's economy.