Helicopter crashes into the open sea in Rio de Janeiro.
The crash occurred near Junqueira Beach, on Guaíba Island; the pilot, identified as Nelson Juliani Blanco, 33, had departed from Rio airport and was flying alone to the Portobello Hotel in Mangaratiba when a mechanical problem occurred with the aircraft, which crashed into the sea; he died instantly.
Renato Garcia and Larissa Lima, RJ24Hours - A helicopter crashed into the sea off Mangaratiba, in the South Fluminense region, this morning (20) and left one person dead. The crash occurred near Praia da Junqueira, on Ilha de Guaíba. The pilot, identified as Nelson Juliani Blanco, 33, had left Rio airport and was heading alone to the Portobello hotel in Mangaratiba when there was a mechanical problem with the aircraft, which crashed into the sea. He died instantly.
The Brazilian Air Force reported that the victim was aboard a Robinson R66 helicopter, a small single-engine aircraft used for executive, sightseeing, and tourism transport. The aircraft left Rio at approximately 7:50 AM bound for the resort, and the accident occurred 10 minutes later.
According to initial reports, the aircraft departed from Jacarepaguá airport and was heading to the condominium, which is considered a beachfront paradise frequented by businesspeople, celebrities, soccer players, and members of the state's top administration.
The accident happened in the same location where singer Herbert Vianna, from the band Paralamas do Sucesso, also lost control of his ultralight aircraft and crashed into the sea, in Mangaratiba, near the Portobello condominium, in February 2001.
Another accident involving a helicopter crash in the same region was that of politician Ulysses Guimarães, who died on the coast in October 1992.