10 Photos of Sofia Murillo: Family Learnt of Fatal Rio Helicopter Crash Whilst Waiting at Airport

Colombian beauty influencer Sofia Murillo, her mother, and her grandmother have died alongside their pilot after a sightseeing helicopter crashed into a wooded hillside in Rio de Janeiro on 8 August.

The 17-year-old social media creator was taking a planned 20-minute aerial excursion over the Brazilian city when the aircraft went down near Tijuca National Park, reports said.

The family had planned to take two consecutive flights so all members could experience the tour.

Murillo boarded the initial flight with her mother, Wendy Manrique, 37, and grandmother, Rocio Cubillos, 59.

Her remaining relatives learnt of the fatal crash through news and social media whilst still waiting at the airfield terminal.

Holiday Sightseeing Flight Ends in Fatal Helicopter Crash

The four-seat aircraft, operated by local tour firm Voo Rio Panorâmico, took off around 11am local time from the airstrip.

The family had travelled from Colombia to Brazil for an sightseeing holiday, booking the morning flight specifically to view famous landmarks including the Christ the Redeemer statue and the surrounding coastline from the air.

Murillo boarded the initial journey alongside her mother and grandmother, whilst her uncle, Victor Manrique, waited behind at the airfield alongside his wife and 15-year-old daughter.

The second group had arranged to board the very same aircraft immediately after the first flight completed its circuit and returned safely to the base.

Instead of welcoming their loved ones back after the scheduled 20-minute flight, the family saw breaking news reports confirming an accident.

Emergency services were dispatched at 11:11am after the helicopter came down in the dense woodland of Alto da Boa Vista, near the Vista Chinesa viewpoint.

The impact ignited a hillside fire that spread across rugged terrain, complicating rescue efforts and requiring military personnel to assist local firefighters in containing the blaze.

Aviation Authorities Open Inquiry Into Fatal Rio Helicopter Crash

The pilot, Alessandro Rocha, was also killed when the aircraft struck the hillside. Formal inquiries have commenced, with Brazil's Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Centre (CENIPA) leading the technical examination alongside the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police.

A legal representative for Voo Rio Panorâmico stated to Brazilian news outlet g1 that the aviation firm held all necessary operating permits.

The lawyer added that the helicopter was fully up to date with scheduled maintenance requirements and confirmed that the pilot held all appropriate flight licences.

Investigators have stressed that determining the mechanical, environmental, or operational factors behind the crash will take time as forensic work proceeds.

Online Community Mourns Teenager After Rio Helicopter Crash

Murillo had steadily established a dedicated audience of more than 250,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, where she regularly shared detailed makeup routines, skincare advice, and cosmetic product reviews.

Her final video on TikTok, published on 5 August, showed snippets of her routine gym workout, whilst an Instagram post from 1 August featured a step-by-step cosmetics demonstration.

In the days following the tragedy, thousands of followers have gathered on her digital profiles to leave tributes and express grief. One follower wrote, 'So young and full of potential to grow in life, it is really very sad.'

Another message left beneath her final fitness upload read, 'I am going to miss your tips. You helped boost my self-esteem.'