The final words of the pilot before a passenger plane crashed in Brazil last August, killing all 62 people on board, have been revealed from the aircraft's black box. The ATR 72-500 was flying from Cascavel to Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo when it came down in the town of Vinhedo.
The transcript shows the co-pilot asking, 'What is going on?' as the plane began to descend, stating that the aircraft needed to be 'stabilised'. The pilot had lost control moments before the crash, with screams heard in the background. The black box captured two hours of audio, but analysis found no signs of engine failure or unusual activity.
Local resident Felipe Magalhães said: 'When I heard the sound of the plane falling, I looked out my window at home and saw the moment it crashed.' Another witness, Nathalie Cicari, told CNN Brasil she heard 'a very loud noise' and saw the plane spinning. No one on the ground was injured, though one home was damaged.
Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed solidarity with the families and held a minute of silence. São Paulo's governor declared three days of mourning. The airline Voepass confirmed 58 passengers and four crew members died. ATR, the plane's manufacturer, said specialists are supporting the investigation.
