'I did everything I could', says balloon pilot who crashed in SC

The balloon crashed with 21 people on board. Eight people died and 13 survived, including the pilot.

Those who died in the crash were unable to jump when the fire started, according to police. Upon noticing the start of the fire, the pilot was able to lower the balloon and, as it approached the ground, he ordered people to jump and jumped out of the balloon with them, said the person in charge of the Praia Grande police station, Tiago Luiz Lemos.

Some passengers, however, were unable to leave the aircraft, which, lighter, took off. In the air, four people jumped and four were burned to death. Burnt, the balloon fell in the community of Cachoeira do Bom Jesus, in Praia Grande.

The flames started in the balloon's basket, due to a blowtorch. The preliminary information was given by Lemos. The chief delegate of the Civil Police of Santa Catarina, Ulisses Gabriel, said that the agency will investigate what happened, together with the state's Scientific Police. "A day of mourning," he wrote on social media.

The balloon belonged to the company Sobrevoar, which claims to comply with all standards established by ANAC. In a note published on social media, the company highlighted that it had no record of previous accidents.