Firefighters take part in a rescue operation after a small private plane fell into the ocean at Copacabana beach, in the south zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on December 27, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AFP
An ultralight plane pulling an advertising banner crashed into the sea off Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday (December 27, 2025) afternoon, killing the pilot, local authorities said.
The pilot’s body was sent to a medical examiner’s office for identification, officials said.
Fire department rescue teams were working at the site using Jet Skis, inflatable boats, divers and aerial support. The search also includes sonar equipment to help locate possible additional victims and wreckage.
Security camera footage released by authorities shows the plane diving nose-first into the sea near the beach around 12:30 p.m. (1530 GMT).
The Brazilian air force said that it opened an investigation into the cause of the crash. The aircraft was a Cessna 170A owned by an advertising company.
Published – December 28, 2025 08:34 am IST
