Brazil court authorizes cremation for Colombian tourists killed in Rio helicopter crash

A Brazilian court has authorized the cremation of three Colombian tourists who died in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro twelve days ago. The judicial authorization followed the completion of autopsies and the Public Prosecutor's Office agreement, according to judicial sources.

The victims, identified as Lida Rocío Cubillos Cárdenas, 59; her daughter Wendy Yolani Marique Cubillos, 37; and her granddaughter Dayan Sofía Murillo Manrique, 17, were on a scenic flight near the Christ the Redeemer statue when their helicopter crashed in a wooded area. The pilot also perished in the August 8 incident.

Legal procedures required judicial approval for cremation, and difficulties in identifying the foreign nationals, necessitating dental and anthropological exams, contributed to the delay. The families had been seeking swift processing of the remains and a thorough investigation.

This incident is part of a broader safety concern in Rio's tourist helicopter operations. The National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) suspended tourist helicopter flights from four companies after three accidents in eight months, involving the crash of four helicopters and thirteen fatalities. The agency cited irregularities, including discrepancies in reported flight times versus actual operational times, which can impact maintenance schedules.

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There were aircraft (from the sanctioned companies) that flew 30 minutes a day and reported 10 minutes of flight, saving on maintenance, which must be done periodically by flight time.