A 17-year-old Colombian influencer was killed alongside her mother and grandmother when a sightseeing helicopter crashed into a wooded hillside in Rio de Janeiro, turning a family vacation into tragedy.
Sofia Murillo, who had built a following of more than 250,000 people across Instagram and TikTok, died in the Aug. 8 crash near Vista Chinesa, a scenic overlook surrounded by forest.
Murillo was traveling in a four-seat helicopter operated by Voo Rio Panorâmico with her mother, Wendy Manrique, 37, and her grandmother, Rocio Cubillos, 59.
The pilot, Alessandro Rocha, was also killed.
Murillo, who lived in Bogotá, Colombia, was known online for posting beauty advice, product reviews and lifestyle content.
The family had traveled to Brazil together for a vacation and planned to take a short scenic helicopter tour over Rio de Janeiro, according to local reports.
Victor Manrique, Wendy’s brother and Murillo’s uncle, said the family had booked a roughly 20-minute flight so they could see the famous Christ the Redeemer statue from the air.
Because the helicopter could only carry a limited number of passengers, the family split into two groups.
Murillo, her mother and grandmother boarded the first flight at around 11 a.m.
Victor, his wife and their 15-year-old daughter remained behind at the hangar and planned to take the next trip.
Tragically, that second flight never happened.
The helicopter carrying Murillo and her relatives crashed into a forested area near Vista Chinesa shortly after takeoff.
Local firefighters received a call about the crash at approximately 11:11 a.m., according to Brazilian outlet g1.
Emergency crews faced difficulty reaching the wreckage because of the remote and heavily wooded terrain.
The crash also sparked a fire that spread across part of the hillside before military personnel trained in wildfire response were able to bring the flames under control.
Victor said he and the rest of the family were still waiting at the airport when they learned about the crash through news reports.
All four people aboard the helicopter were killed.
A lawyer representing Voo Rio Panorâmico said the company had not yet determined what caused the aircraft to go down.
The company said the helicopter had the required permits, its maintenance was up to date and the pilot held the proper license to operate the aircraft.
Brazil’s Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center has opened an investigation into the crash, while Rio de Janeiro’s Civil Police are also investigating.
Murillo had remained active on social media just days before her death.
Her final apparent TikTok post was shared Aug. 5, only three days before the crash, and showed the teenager going through a gym workout.
After news of her death spread, devastated followers flooded her social media pages with tributes.
“My beautiful Sofi,” one person wrote. “There’s a party in heaven because you’re there. We’ll miss you so much.”
Another follower wrote, “I’m going to miss your tips, Sofi. You were one of the few who managed to boost my self-esteem with your advice. I’m going to miss you so much.”
A third simply wrote, “You left too soon, Sofi.”