Booking Mix-Up Stopped More Deaths in Brazilian Plane Crash That Killed 61, Say Would-Be Passengers

Mar. 15, 2025

Multiple passengers who were due to fly on the passenger flight thatcrashed in Brazil on Fridayowe their lives to a booking mix-up.

On Aug. 9, 57 passengers and four crew members died after a VoePass Guarulhos Airport-bound plane crashed in Vinhedo, São Paulo after taking off from Cascavel, Parana.

Adriano Assis, from Rio De Janeiro, was also booked on the flight but missed it as he thought he was traveling with LATAM Airlines instead.

“Normally, there is always someone at the airport counter, but there was no one,” the passenger added, according to the outlet.

Assis realized he was traveling with VoePass around 10:41 a.m. local time, but a worker said he was too late to board the flight ahead of its 11:56 a.m. departure time.

MIGUEL SCHINCARIOL/AFP via Getty

“I argued with him and stuff, and that was it, and he saved my life, man,” Assis, who had just finished his shift at the hospital, told GloboNews, perFox News, adding, “He did his job because… if he hadn’t done it… maybe I wouldn’t be in this interview today, sorry.”

Another passenger, Jose Felipe, made the same mistake, telling the Brazilian outlet that LATAM was closed when they arrived at the airport so they “waited, waited and nothing,” per Fox News.

Debris lies at the site of the plane crash in in Vinhedo, São Paulo.Allison Sales/picture alliance via Getty

Allison Sales/picture alliance via Getty

“Thank God, we didn’t get on that plane,” Felipe, who was part of a group of 10, said. According to the outlet, he told a worker, “Sir, I have to get on this plane. I have to go.”

“He said there was no way and what I can do for you is reschedule your ticket,” Felipe reportedly told the Brazilian news station.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“The company regrets to inform that all 61 people on board flight 2283 died at the scene,“VoePassconfirmed on Friday, according to a translation.

Adriano Assis.globonews/facebook

globonews/facebook

It remains unclear what caused the plane to crash and VoePass said it was working with investigators.

Multiple news outlets shared video of the incident showing the plane spiraling from the sky before crashing.

source: people.com