Chaos unfolded on a busy highway in Brazil after a helicopter carrying veteran journalist crashed into a tractor trailer, killing everyone onboard.
Good Samaritans were captured on cellphone video racing toward the wreckage, desperately trying to rescue a truck driver trapped inside the damaged vehicle.
The crash happened Monday on the Anhanguera Highway in northwestern Sao Paulo. Authorities said Boechat, 66, was returning from a university event in Campinas when the accident occurred.
Police confirmed that both Boechat and the helicopter pilot were killed instantly. The truck driver survived with only minor injuries.
Video footage shows a man and woman pulling debris away from the truck’s cab moments after impact. The woman tried to pry the driver’s door open but stopped when she realized it was jammed.
The driver was later freed by emergency crews.
The helicopter, a PT HPG model built in 1975, slammed into the front of the truck, crushing the hood and shattering the windshield. The tail section was found near the trailer, while the rest of the aircraft burned on the highway shoulder and median.
Police Captain Augusto Paiva said the helicopter was attempting to land near a toll road access point when the collision occurred.
“The helicopter tried to land in an access road close to a toll station. Then the truck came and they crashed. The fire occurred because of the collision,” Paiva said.
Boechat was one of Brazil’s most recognizable journalists. He anchored TV Band’s main nightly news program, hosted a popular radio show, and wrote a regular column for IstoE magazine.
TV Band interrupted its programming at 1.51 pm to announce his death, according to Reuters.
Born in Argentina while his father served on a diplomatic mission, Boechat later became a major media figure in Brazil. He frequently moderated presidential debates and was known for openly criticizing politicians across party lines.
During his career, he won three Esso Awards, Brazil’s most prestigious journalism honor, for investigations into corruption.
President , who was often criticized by Boechat, expressed condolences on social media following the crash.
Boechat is survived by his wife, Veruska, and six children.
The incident renewed concerns over aviation safety in Brazil and left the country mourning the loss of a journalist widely respected for his independence and fearless reporting, as noted by The New York Times.