Brasilia, Santa Catarina – A hot air balloon accident in the city of Praia Grande has claimed the lives of eight people, with 13 others rescued and several more believed to be still missing, authorities reported.

The incident occurred on Saturday morning, with a total of 21 people on board the balloon when it crashed. Rescue teams are on the scene, continuing to search for any remaining survivors and providing support to the affected individuals and their families.

Santa Catarina’s Governor, Jorginho Mello, expressed deep concern over the tragedy, stating that the authorities are closely monitoring the situation and that the investigation is ongoing to determine the exact circumstances of the accident.