Two pilots have died in a serious plane crash, which left one survivor being pulled from the burning wreckage after another person was heard screaming for help. Pablo Portella Ilwoski, 28, was pulled to safety by courageous bystanders, while two others remained trapped in the front cabin in Marília, Brazil.
The two victims, named as Gabriel Maloni Mendes da Cruz, 24, and Henrique Guariente Filho, 47, were both qualified pilots. One of the pilots was reportedly shouting and calling for assistance. The twin-engine aircraft departed on June 10 with three people on board.
Distressing footage shows the wreckage ablaze, with columns of thick black smoke billowing into the air.
Nearby people rushed over in a desperate bid to save the crew. Ademir Durelo recalled how he pulled Ilwoski, the sole survivor from the burning plane.
He said: “I was having lunch when we heard an explosion. By the time I got to the scene, the plane was already on fire.
“I spotted a young man – the one we managed to pull out of the aircraft. We cut his seatbelt and got him out, then dragged him away from the wreckage.
“There were two other people trapped in the front of the plane.”
In a statement the company said they are “providing all necessary support to the families affected and remains fully available to assist the relevant authorities throughout the investigation”.
Official records show the plane belonged to Grupo Ponzan Alimentos, a Brazilian company specialising in seasonings, sauces, flour-based products and preserves.
The cause of the crash is still unclear, and Brazil’s Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Centre has opened an inquiry.
