Colombian Influencer Sofia Murillo Killed in Rio Sightseeing Helicopter Crash With Mother and Grandmother

Sofia Murillo, her mother, and her grandmother died when the helicopter they had boarded to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the Christ the Redeemer statue crashed into thick forests in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian officials and the family informed.

Sofia Murillo died along with her mother, Wendy Manrique, 37, and her grandmother, Rocio Cubillos, 59, after the helicopter crash on August 8 close to the Vista Chinesa viewpoint in the Tijuca National Park. The pilot, Alessandro Rocha, also died in the crash. None of them survived the accident.

Robinson R44 helicopter crashed around 11:11 a.m. in thick vegetation in the large urban forest surrounding the city, The Rio Times reported. About 40 firefighters and 11 vehicles were deployed to the scene, which was hard to access. The helicopter caught fire immediately upon impact, per TMZ.

The family, hailing from Bogotá, had arranged a 20-minute panoramic flight over the city, Dexerto mentioned. The helicopter could accommodate only three passengers; hence, six family members traveling together were divided into two batches. Sofia, her mother, and her grandmother took off first.

Sofia’s uncle, Victor Manrique, who was waiting at the hangar with his wife and their 15-year-old daughter for the second flight, told local media outlets that the family learned about the tragic incident through news reports, according to TMZ.

“We were a very happy family,” Manrique told Need To Know. He described his niece as a hard-working and diligent girl and added that the family had booked the flight with the last of their vacation savings and a credit card.

The relatives had gone to Brazil to celebrate a quinceañera, the traditional birthday party of 15 years of age, The Rio Times explained.

The reason behind the crash remains unknown. Rio de Janeiro’s Civil Police and Cenipa (the Brazilian Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center) are running parallel investigations, Hola reported. Cenipa, a Brazilian Air Force unit, is carrying out the technical investigation of the wreckage to find out the causes of the crash.

A preliminary report is expected to be released in several weeks, and the final one will take months, The Rio Times reported. Fire damage may hinder the use of any data recorded during the flight.

A lawyer for the operator, Voos Rio Panoramico, told reporters that the company has not identified the cause but stressed that the pilot was licensed, the permits were in order, and the aircraft’s maintenance was up to date, Hola reported.

The Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) confirmed that the helicopter’s certificate was valid, Diário do Rio de Janeiro reported. Panoramic flights are considered specialized air services, and for such flights, there is a special technical certification of the aircraft and the crew.

ANAC stated that it is discussing with the city of Rio de Janeiro joint control of panoramic flights. Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere formally requested urgent inspection measures for the sector, including the possible temporary ban of aerial tours while the review of the situation in the city is being conducted.

Murillo had amassed an audience of more than 250,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram, where she shared makeup tutorials, hair and skin care tips, and cosmetic reviews, Dexerto reported. Her last post, dated August 5th, was about a gym workout.

Her fans started posting condolences on her social media pages.

The crash happened almost two months after singer Oliver Tree and YouTuber Gaspi died in another helicopter accident in Rio de Janeiro, Dexerto reported.