Plane crash in Brazil leaves 12 dead

A small plane crashed in the northwestern Brazilian state of Acre, leaving at least 12 people including an infant dead.

A statement by the Acre state government on Sunday said the plane was a single-engine Cessna Caravan, and it crashed near the Rio Branco airport.

All 10 passengers – nine adults and an infant – as well as the pilot and the co-pilot all died at the scene, it said, adding that there will be an investigation. It remains unclear what the passengers’ nationalities are.

The plane was headed to Envira, a small town in the neighbouring Amazonas state of Brazil. It was reportedly operated by local firm ART Taxi Aereo.

Local media reported that the plane erupted in flames on impact and caused a forest fire in a remote area near Brazil’s border with Peru and Bolivia.

This is the second such incident in less than two months, as 14 people had perished onboard a small jet that crashed in Amazonas state in September. All the victims of that crash – 12 passengers and two crew members – were Brazilian tourists._Agencies