Seventeen-year-old Colombian influencer Sofia Murillo died on August 8 in a helicopter crash in Brazil that also claimed the lives of her mother, Wendy Manrique, 37, and grandmother Rocio Cubillos, 59. The pilot, Alessandro Rocha, was also killed in the incident.
Murillo, who hailed from Bogota, Colombia, had amassed over 208,000 followers on TikTok, where she shared beauty tips and product reviews. The family was on vacation in Brazil and had booked a 20-minute helicopter tour around the Christ the Redeemer statue through a local agency, Voo Rio Panorâmico.
The helicopter reportedly crashed in the Tijuca Forest, a densely wooded area near Vista Chinesa. Murillo, her mother, and grandmother had departed in one aircraft, while other family members were scheduled to take a subsequent flight.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation. Firefighters recovered a camera that had been recording the cabin during the flight, which has been turned over to investigators. According to the National Civil Aviation Agency, the helicopter held a valid certificate and was authorized for sightseeing flights.
Murillo's last social media post, shared three days before her death, documented her gym routine. Tributes have since been shared by friends, family, and fans mourning her loss. One friend wrote, "My dear Sofia, I found out what happened a few hours ago; I don't know how to express myself or what to say, but I know I will always miss you." Another message read, "My little sister, my mother, and my niece! I will love them forever - in this life and the next!"
