American singer Oliver Tree and Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim, popularly known as Gaspi, were among six people killed after two helicopters collided mid-air over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday.
The tragic incident occurred over the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighbourhood in the southwest of the city. Authorities confirmed that all six occupants of the aircraft lost their lives in the crash.
According to Rio de Janeiro’s Civil Police, the victims included Oliver Tree, Gaspar Prim, passengers Lucas Brito Chaves and Lucas Vignale, as well as pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac.
Emergency responders recovered five bodies from one helicopter, while the sixth victim was found near the second aircraft. One of the helicopters crashed onto land rented by Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD, igniting a fire that destroyed several parked vehicles. The second helicopter came down approximately 100 metres away.
Firefighters swiftly responded to the scene and managed to contain the blaze within an hour. Brazilian authorities have launched a formal investigation into the cause of the collision, with experts from the Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Centre (Cenipa) leading the inquiry.
Oliver Tree, known for hit songs such as “Life Goes On,” “Miss You,” and “Alien Boy,” was in Brazil as part of his ongoing world tour. Gaspi, a popular Argentine content creator, had amassed millions of followers through his comedy and street-interview content across Latin America and Spain.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the global entertainment community, with fans and colleagues mourning the loss of two influential figures.
