A tragic mid-air collision between two helicopters over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 14, 2026, has left six people dead, including American musician Oliver Tree and Argentine content creator Gaspar “Gaspi” Prim. The accident occurred in the western part of the city and has triggered an official investigation by Brazilian aviation authorities.
Multiple international outlets, including The Guardian, Euronews, and CNN Brasil, have confirmed the fatalities and ongoing investigation.
What happened
According to Brazilian authorities, the accident took place around 9:00 a.m. local time over the neighborhood of Recreio dos Bandeirantes in Rio de Janeiro.
Two helicopters collided in mid-air under unclear circumstances and crashed shortly after impact.
One aircraft was carrying five people
The other had a single pilot
There were no survivors
The crash caused one of the helicopters to fall into a commercial area where it struck a parking lot filled with electric vehicles, triggering a large fire that damaged around 20 cars.
Emergency services, including firefighters and aviation investigators, were deployed immediately to the scene.
Impact on the ground
In addition to the fatalities, the crash caused significant damage on the ground:
One helicopter crashed into a parking lot
Approximately 20 electric vehicles were destroyed or damaged
A large fire broke out following the impact
Debris affected nearby buildings, though no ground casualties were reported
Firefighters managed to contain the blaze within about an hour.
Victims identified
Authorities confirmed that all six people aboard the two aircraft were killed.
The victims include:
Oliver Tree, American singer and performer
Gaspar “Gaspi” Prim, Argentine YouTuber and influencer
Lucas Brito Chaves, passenger
Lucas Vignale, video director
Alexandre Souza, pilot
Charles Marsillac, pilot
Oliver Tree: international music star
Oliver Tree was a globally recognized artist known for his distinctive visual style, bowl-cut hairstyle, and genre-blending music that mixes pop, electronic, and alternative sounds.
He rose to fame with viral hits such as:
Life Goes On
Miss You
Alien Boy
He had built a strong international fanbase and was in Brazil as part of a world tour at the time of the accident. Reports indicate he had recently performed in São Paulo and was scheduled for upcoming shows in Europe.
Beyond music, Oliver Tree was also known for his creative direction in music videos and his comedic, surreal public persona.
Gaspi: rising Latin American creator
Gaspar “Gaspi” Prim, known online as Gaspi, was a 23-year-old Argentine content creator with millions of followers across YouTube and social media platforms.
He became popular through:
Street interviews
Comedy and prank-style content
Viral social media videos across Latin America and Spain
Gaspi represented a new wave of digital creators who gained fame outside traditional television or film industries.
Investigation underway
Brazil’s Air Force (FAB) and the Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA) have launched a formal investigation.
Authorities are currently analyzing:
Flight paths and air traffic control data
Weather conditions at the time
Possible mechanical failure
Human error or coordination issues between aircraft
Officials have not yet confirmed the cause of the collision.
Public reaction
The news has caused global shock, particularly among fans of Oliver Tree and followers of Gaspi.
Social media platforms were flooded with:
Tributes from fans
Shock and disbelief
Viral reposts of the final videos and posts from the victims
Artists and influencers from around the world have also shared condolences, highlighting the sudden and unexpected nature of the tragedy.
The mid-air collision in Rio de Janeiro stands as one of the most devastating aviation incidents in Brazil in recent years.
With six confirmed fatalities, including internationally known figures, the accident has drawn global attention and raised urgent questions about helicopter traffic safety in urban airspace.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause, while the world mourns the loss of two young public figures whose careers were still actively growing.
