Singer Oliver Tree among 6 killed in helicopter collision over Rio de Janeiro

An investigation is underway after two helicopters collided over Rio de Janeiro on Sunday morning, resulting in the deaths of all six people aboard. Among the victims was American singer and comedian Oliver Tree.

The aircraft crashed in the western zone of the city. One helicopter impacted the parking lot of a car dealership, igniting a fire that firefighters quickly contained. Officials confirmed that Tree was on the passenger manifest for one of the helicopters, which also carried three other passengers and the pilot. The second helicopter was piloted by a single individual.

Fernandes de Freitas, a tire repair worker who witnessed the event, described the scene as "terrifying, absolutely horrifying." He reported seeing one helicopter in flames after the midair collision and observed a passenger jump from the other aircraft before it hit the ground.

Tree, who was on a world tour promoting his 2026 album "Love You Madly Hate You Badly," had recently performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 4. He had posted a video on Instagram the day before the crash, showing him playing soccer in a Brazilian neighborhood. His next scheduled performance was set for July 1 in Lisbon, Portugal. The singer had a significant following on TikTok, where his songs "Life Goes On" and "Miss You" have been widely used in videos.

“

It was terrifying, absolutely horrifying.