American singer Oliver Tree among list of passengers in deadly Brazil helicopter crash
American singer and comedian Oliver Tree was listed as a passenger on one of two helicopters that collided midair and crashed Sunday morning in Brazil, killing all six people aboard, authorities said.
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The helicopters collided over Rio De Janeiro and crashed in the city’s western zone, firefighters said.
Tree was on the list of passengers handed to aviation authorities, but they have not been able to identify the bodies of the dead, police said.
Oliver Tree performing in Napa Valley, Calif. in 2024.Chris Tuite / imageSPACE via Shutterstock
Rio de Janeiro’s Military Fire Department said one of the helicopters crashed on the parking lot of a car dealership, where several electric vehicles were parked, igniting a fire that was extinguished.
Officials said an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the collision.
Debris from the midair collision on the ground in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. Ricardo Moraes / Reuters
Tree performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 4, and published a video on his Instagram Saturday where he is playing soccer in a Brazilian neighborhood.
Actor and comedian Whitney Cummings wrote online that Tree was one of the most talented people on earth, adding that being talented “usually comes with an ego and all kinds of —-head nonsense.”
“But Oliver is pure love and the best version of what an artist and person can and should be. There’s no silver lining. We lost a giant,” Cummings wrote.
The post also included a photo of her and Tree, hugging each other with large smiles on their faces.
KSI, a British influencer and musician, wrote on X that he couldn’t believe he had to type a post paying tribute to Tree’s death.
“You’re 32, man. You should still be here. You still had so much life to live. So much music to make. So much content to make,” he said. “You’re a legend and will always be a legend. Still doesn’t feel real. Genuinely feel sick. I love you, bro.”
The two collaborated on music, including the song “Voices” released in January 2023.
Bystanders near the site of the helicopter collision in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. Ricardo Moraes / Reuters
Rapper bbno$ shared that Tree was an inspiration and thanked him for his creativity and brilliance, adding that his heart was shattered at news of his passing.
Argentine streaming channel Blender said that content creator Gaspar Prim Díaz — also known as Gaspi — was in one of the helicopters.
“Thanks for your art, your magic and your sensibility, every one of us will miss you,” Blender said on its X account.
Fernandes de Freitas, a tire 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.
