Families of Brazilian plane crash victims gather in Sao Paulo as experts work to identify the dead
Sao Paulo as forensics experts work to identify the remains of the 62 people killed in the accident. Local authorities said the bodies of the pilot, Danilo Santos Romano, and his co-pilot, Humberto de Campos Alencar e Silva, were the first to be identified by forensics experts.
Sao Paulo state government said in a statement Saturday evening that the remains of all the victims had been recovered. There were 34 male and 28 female bodies in the wreckage, it said.
The ATR 72 twin-engine turboprop operated by Brazilian airline Voepass was headed for Guarulhos international airport in Sao Paulo with 58 passengers and four crew members when it went down Friday in Vinhedo, 78 kilometres north of the metropolis. Voepass said three passengers who held Brazilian identification also carried Venezuelan documents and one had Portuguese.
At least eight physicians were aboard, Parana state Gov. Ratinho Junior said. Four professors at Unioeste university in western Parana were also confirmed dead.
Three-year-old Liz Ibba dos Santos, who was travelling with her father, was the only child known to be on passenger list. The remains of Luna, a dog that was travelling with a Venezuelan family, was found in the wreckage.
Sao Paulo's morgue began receiving the bodies Friday evening, and it asked victims' relatives to bring in medical, X-ray and dental records to help identify the bodies. Blood tests were also done to help identification efforts.
The few family members speaking about the tragedy did so on social media.
Tania Azevedo,
