Friday 13 / September / 2024
Brazilian singer and Latin Grammy winner Marilia Mendonca died in an airplane crash on Friday, her press office has confirmed. The 26-year-old country star was on her way to a concert.
The statement also confirmed the deaths of four other passengers including her producer Henrique Ribeiro and aide Abicieli Silveira Dias Filhoon. The pilot and co-pilot were also killed in the crash, which took place between Mendonca's hometown of Goiania and Caratinga, a small city in Minas Gerais state north of Rio de Janeiro.
Minas Gerais state's civil police also confirmed the death but did not provide details about the cause of the accident.
Earlier in the day, Mendonca had posted a video that showed her walking towards the plane. She had a guitar case in hand.
Nation mourns her loss
Brazil was overrun by a wave of sadness as fans, musicians, politicians and football players took to social media to express sorrow and disbelief over her death.
"I refuse to believe, I just refuse,'' Brazilian football player Neymar said on Twitter. The Paris Saint-Germain star was a friend of Mendonca's.
