A man who missed the ill-fated Brazilian flight that crashed earlier this week has shared his experience.
On Friday (August 9), VoePass Flight 2283, an ATR 72-500, was en route to Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos international airport when it tragically nose-dived.
The crash occurred in a residential area of Vinhedo, Brazil. Miraculously, no residents were injured in the incident.
Unfortunately, all 62 individuals on the plane, comprising 57 passengers and four crew members, lost their lives.
Brazil’s federal police are now investigating the crash. The aircraft’s black box has been recovered, providing crucial data for the investigation.
As reported by BBC News, the bodies of the victims have been recovered.
Among the identified victims are the captain and first officer.
According to The Independent, eight doctors en route to an oncology conference were also among those who perished.
Adriano Assis, who was supposed to be on that tragic flight, missed it due to a mix-up with his flights, arriving late at the airport.
Assis reached the airport at 9:40 am and headed to the LATAM Airlines desk to check-in, only to find no staff present.
After waiting for an hour, he realized his flight was with VoePass and rushed to the correct counter.
Upon reaching the counter, Assis was told he was too late. Despite arguing, he was denied entry.
“The guy said I wouldn’t be boarding anymore because it was an hour before boarding,” Assis told Brazilian news outlet G1.
“At that moment, I argued with him and stuff, and that was it, and he saved my life.”
Overcome with emotion, Assis continued: “He did his job because, if he hadn’t done it… maybe I wouldn’t be in this interview today.”
Following the tragic event, ATR, the aircraft manufacturer, issued a statement.
“Our first thoughts are with all the individuals affected by this event,” the statement read. “The ATR specialists are fully engaged to support both the investigation and the customer.”
While the cause of the crash remains undetermined, Sky News speculates that ‘severe icing’ warnings active at the time may have been a factor.
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