US musician Oliver Tree killed in helicopter crash in Brazil

American singer and comedian Oliver Tree has died in a helicopter crash in Brazil on Sunday, which also killed five others on board. He was 32.

Two helicopters collided over Rio de Janeiro on Sunday morning (Sunday night, AEST) and crashed in the city’s western zone, killing all six people aboard, the Associated Press has confirmed.

Tree, who is famous for blending his own stunts into performances and the global hit song Life Goes On, was killed while on his tour in Brazil. He was slated to perform in Australia in October as part of a coming world tour, with shows booked for Sydney’s Enmore Theatre, as well as Melbourne’s Forum, and shows in Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Rio de Janeiro’s Military Fire Department said that one of the helicopters crashed in the parking lot of a car dealership, where several electric vehicles were parked, igniting a fire that was extinguished.

Police said that Tree was on the list of passengers handed to aviation authorities, but they have not been able to identify the bodies of those killed in the crash. An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the collision.

Tree performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 4, and published a video on his Instagram on Saturday in which he is seen playing soccer in a Brazilian neighbourhood.

Fernandes de Freitas, a tyre repair worker, said he saw one of the helicopters in flames following the midair collision, and noticed that one of the passengers jumped out of the other aircraft before it hit the ground.

“It was terrifying, absolutely horrifying,” De Freitas said.

with AP

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