Helicopter Crash in Brazil: Famous American Singer Suspected of Death

Oliver Tree, a famous American singer, was among the passengers in a helicopter crash that killed six people in Brazil.

Two helicopters collided in the skies over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on the morning of June 14th. One crashed into the parking lot of a car dealership, causing a fire. Firefighters brought the blaze under control and confirmed that all six people on board were killed.

Police said American singer and comedian Oliver Tree was on the passenger list, but the identities of the deceased have not yet been confirmed.

The AFP news agency said one helicopter was carrying five people, including Tree, a Brazilian music producer, an Argentinian video director, and YouTuber Gaspar Prim. The other helicopter had only the pilot on board.

Fernandes de Freitas, a tire repairman, saw one of the helicopters burst into flames after the collision and a passenger jump from the other before it crashed to the ground. “It was terrifying,” Freitas recounted.

Witness Thamires Santos heard a very loud explosion that “shook” the store while she was working, adding that helicopter parts were scattered everywhere after the crash.

Fire department spokesman Fabio Contreiras said authorities have not yet determined how the accident occurred. “The aircraft parts are scattered hundreds of meters apart, so the information we have is still very preliminary. We really need to gather audio and video recordings to understand exactly what happened,” he said.

Rio de Janeiro police said initial indications suggest “human error” was the cause of the incident.