Four killed in helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro
A helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro's Tijuca National Park resulted in the deaths of four people, including three Colombian tourists. Local authorities are investigating the incident, which has prompted calls for stricter safety monitoring of tourist helicopter flights in the city.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding aviation safety in Rio de Janeiro, a city where helicopter tourism is a major industry.
Four people were killed in a helicopter crash on Saturday (August 8, 2026) in Rio de Janeiro, including three Colombian tourists from the same family, the country's consul told AFP .
The helicopter went down in Tijuca National Park, a mountainside forest with very dense vegetation.
Firefighters confirmed the pilot and three women "burned to death" and released images showing the smoking remains of the aircraft on a steep, hard-to-reach hillside.
Diana Paez, the Consul General of Colombia in Rio de Janeiro, told AFP the three women were part of a family group who had traveled to the Brazilian city to celebrate a girl's 15th birthday. The group of six had split up because the helicopter could only take three passengers.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in