American singer Oliver Tree died on Sunday after two helicopters collided mid-air in Brazil. He was 32.
The crash happened Sunday morning in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a suburb west of Rio, France 24 reported. One helicopter had five people on board, including Tree. The other carried only the pilot. Both aircraft fell into the parking lot of an electric car dealership and caught fire. No one survived.
Police said Tree was listed on the passenger manifest. The six victims were badly burned, so officials are still confirming identities.
Also on Tree’s helicopter were a Brazilian music producer, an Argentine video director, and Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim, known as “Gaspi”.
The fire spread to about 20 electric cars. Firefighters said lithium battery fires burn hotter and release toxic smoke, making them harder to put out.
Burger King worker Thamires Santos, 27, said she heard a loud explosion that shook her shop. “Helicopter parts were flying everywhere,” she said.
Fire service spokesman Lt. Col. Fabio Contreiras said the cause is still unclear. Parts of the aircraft scattered over hundreds of metres, and investigators need video and flight records to know what went wrong.
Tree was known for his bowl haircut and viral internet style. His songs “Life Goes On”, “Miss You” and “Alien Boy” earned him over 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
He was on a world tour across more than 30 countries, with a show in São Paulo on June 6. His next performance was set for Lisbon on July 1.
Rio Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere said foreigners were on one of the helicopters.
Brazil records many small aircraft crashes. Government data shows 84 accidents this year with 25 deaths, not counting this incident. Tree’s family is yet to comment on the tragedy