A beauty influencer, her mother, and her grandmother were killed when a tourist helicopter crashed into a forest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and burst into flames.
Sofia Murillo, 17, died alongside her mum Wendy Manrique, 37, and grandmother Rocio Cubillos, 59, when the Robinson R44 helicopter plunged into dense forest near Vista Chinesa in the Alto da Boa Vista area on Saturday (8 August). The pilot, Alessandro Rocha, was also killed.
Family split into two groups
The Colombian family of six had been forced to split into two groups for the panoramic trip because the helicopter could only carry three passengers at a time. They had arrived in Brazil days earlier to celebrate a relative's 15th birthday and had already visited attractions including Christ the Redeemer and the Búzios coastline.
Sofia, her mum, and gran boarded the first flight while the other three family members waited at the airport for their turn. But they grew increasingly worried when messages from their loved ones suddenly stopped and staff began talking about a possible emergency landing.
Devastating news
The devastated relatives then learned of the crash through news reports. Firefighters battled across steep terrain to reach the wreckage after the aircraft caught fire on impact. The four bodies were found carbonised. Only Sofia has so far been formally identified through documents she was carrying. Dental records and DNA tests are being used to identify the other victims.
Sofia had built a loyal following online by sharing makeup tips, hair tutorials and skincare advice. She had more than 208,000 followers on TikTok and almost 50,000 on Instagram.
Family's grief
Her uncle Victor Manrique, who had been waiting with his wife and daughter to take the second flight, said: "My little sister, my mother and my niece, I will love you always in this life and the next."
Speaking later, he said: "We were a very happy family. Life has pleasant moments and also difficult ones, but we were happy. I hope that on their last day they lived moments of happiness." He added: "It hurts because they were very young, especially my niece, who was a 17-year-old girl, very studious, very hardworking. And it hurts because we should have gone in that helicopter."
Victor revealed the family had used the last of their holiday savings as well as a credit card to pay for the flight.
Investigation underway
Brazilian aviation investigators from Cenipa and civil police are now probing the cause of the tragedy. The aircraft reportedly had valid certification and was authorised to operate scenic flights. The Colombian government has expressed its sorrow over the deaths and is assisting the family through its consulate. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
