‘Life Goes On’ singer Oliver Tree dies in fatal helicopter crash in Brazil | Today’s news
US alt-pop singer and internet personality Oliver Tree was on board one of two helicopters that collided mid-air in Brazil, leaving six dead, a police source told AFP.
Singer Oliver Tree has died in a helicopter crash in Brazil
The alternative singer and internet personality was listed as one of six people on one plane’s manifest shared by a source, who said the victims could not yet be formally identified because they were badly burned in the crash.
The helicopters collided mid-air Sunday morning in a western Rio de Janeiro suburb called Recreio dos Bandeirantes before crashing into the parking lot of an electric car dealership, setting about 20 cars on fire, firefighters said.
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The helicopter crash occurred as a result of a mid-air collision between two helicopters in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Brazil, which claimed six lives.
One helicopter was carrying five passengers, including Oliver Tree, while the other helicopter had only the pilot, for a total of six casualties.
Oliver Tree and other passengers were confirmed dead after their helicopter collided mid-air and crashed, with no survivors found.
The crash occurred in the parking lot of an electric car dealer, preventing further casualties among nearby residences and pedestrians.
Firefighters face challenges fighting electric vehicle fires because of lithium-ion batteries that release toxic gases and require significantly more water to control.
(FILES) American singer Oliver Tree performs on stage during the Austin City Limits music festival at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas on October 16, 2022. American singer and songwriter Oliver Tree, who was in Brazil on a world tour, was on board one of the helicopters that crashed in Rio de Janeiro on June 14, 2026, leaving all the police officers dead. The alternative singer and internet personality is listed in a manifesto of six people shared by a source who said the victims cannot yet be formally identified as they were badly burned in the accident. (Photo: SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP)(AFP)
One of the helicopters was carrying five people and the other only the pilot. There were no survivors.
Passengers in the same helicopter as Tree included Brazilian music producer, Argentine video director and Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim, known online as “Gaspi”.
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The 32-year-old Tree – with a sharp haircut and an eccentric internet persona worthy of a meme – was known for hits such as “Life Goes On”, “Miss You” and “Alien Boy”.
He has over 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify, with his top songs being listened to over 700 million times.
In recent days, his Instagram account has included videos from Brazil, where he performed in Sao Paulo on June 6 on his tour of more than 30 countries.
His next show was scheduled for July 1 in Lisbon.
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere said earlier that “foreign nationals” were on board one of the planes, without giving further details.
Burger King employee Thamires Santos, 27, said he was at work when he heard “a really loud explosion. The store really shook.”
After the crash, he saw parts of the helicopter “flying in all directions.”
Firefighters spokesman Lt. Col. Fabio Contreiras told CNN Brasil at the scene that it was unclear exactly how the accident unfolded.
“The parts of the planes are scattered hundreds of meters away, so the information we have is still very preliminary,” he said. “We really need to get the recordings and videos to understand exactly what happened.”
Contreiras said rescuers found one helicopter with five victims inside among the electric cars on fire.
A second helicopter found about 100 meters away was carrying only the pilot, who also died.
Read also | Six dead in helicopter crash over Rio de Janeiro | Video
“Given the surrounding residences, the accident could have been far more tragic,” Contreiras said.
He highlighted the challenges of fighting fires involving electric vehicles that contain lithium-ion batteries.
“When this type of battery ignites, it releases highly toxic gases, intensifying both the temperature and the severity of the fire. Extinguishing a fire in one of these vehicles requires three to four times the amount of water required for a standard car fire.”
Small plane crashes are common in Brazil, the world’s fifth largest country.
Last month, a small plane crashed into the side of a building in the southeastern city of Belo Horizonte, killing the pilot and co-pilot.
According to statistics from the Center for the Investigation and Prevention of Air Accidents (CENIPA) – excluding this latest collision – there have been 84 plane accidents in 2026 so far, killing 25 people.