Dr. Ederson da Silva, 68, and his wife, Roseli Amarilda Pechulo Silva, 62, died after the light aircraft they were traveling in crashed shortly after takeoff in northern Brazil. The couple was returning from the funeral of Dr. Silva's father when the incident occurred.
The small plane went down in the city of Palmas, falling from the sky moments after leaving the runway. Witnesses told investigators the aircraft appeared to take off normally before unexpectedly losing altitude and plunging to the ground without warning. Nearby residents reported hearing a loud cracking noise as the aircraft descended.
Emergency crews responded to the crash site. Roseli was pronounced dead at the scene, while Dr. Silva was pulled from the wreckage alive. Paramedics treated him at the scene, but he later died from his injuries. The pilot, identified as Hamilton Lopes da Conceição, survived the crash and was taken to Palmas General Hospital with serious injuries; his condition is reported as unstable.
Dr. Silva and his wife owned São Lucas Hospital and resided in the city of Redenção. Images from the scene showed the mangled remains of the aircraft scattered across farmland. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fatal crash.