Fiery hot-air balloon tragedy kills at least 8 people: 'We are in mourning'
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A hot-air balloon carrying 21 people in Brazil caught fire Saturday morning and crashed, killing at least eight people, Santa Catarina’s military fire brigade said. 

The crash happened in Santa Catarina, a state in Brazil’s south, after the fire started in the basket, forcing the pilot to attempt to land, officials said. 

Video shared on social media shows black smoke billowing over the deflated balloon as it hurtles toward the ground in a wooded area near the town of Praia Grande, which is popular for hot-air ballooning. 

The 13 survivors, including the pilot, were taken to hospitals with unknown injuries. 

Sobrevoar added that it had followed all regulations for the ride and had a clear record previously. It is now suspending its operations indefinitely. 

Around 25 to 30 hot-air balloon trips leave daily from the area, the government said. 

BRAZIL-ACCIDENT-AIR-BALLOON-CRASH

A member of Brazil’s Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA) walks next to the wreckage of a hot-air balloon that caught fire and crashed with 21 people on board in Praia Grande, Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil, Saturday.  (Silvio Avila/AFP via Getty Images)

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with the victims’ families and said the federal government was available to help with the investigation. 

Last Sunday, another hot-air balloon crashed in Brazil’s state of São Paulo, killing one woman and injuring 11 others. 

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. 

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