Search for missing helicopter off the coast of São Paulo enters sixth day

Teams from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) resumed, on the morning of this Saturday, the 6th, the search for the helicopter that disappeared with four people on board, when it was heading to Ilhabela, on the North Coast of São Paulo, on December 31st, New Year's Eve. The work, which entered its sixth day, was interrupted for three hours on Friday the 5th due to bad weather. This morning, the sky was overcast in the region, but without rain.

The searches cover an area of ​​5 thousand square kilometers, between the São Paulo Plateau, Serra do Mar and the coast. The sweep reaches the territories of Caraguatatuba, Natividade da Serra, Paraibuna, Redenção da Serra, Salesópolis and São Luiz do Paraitinga. This Saturday, operations are concentrated between the Paraibuna Reservoir and Caraguatatuba.

According to the FAB, the mountainous region, the sky with many clouds and the color of the aircraft – gray and black – make the search difficult. There have been more than 40 hours of operations, which have the support of the Military Police of the State of São Paulo. This Saturday, an aircraft from the 2nd Army Aviation Battalion, based in Taubaté, joined the search teams. According to the Army Aviation Command (Cavex), the Pantera K2 helicopter has night vision equipment and can operate at night.

The helicopter, registration number PR-HDB, model Robinson 44, took off at 1:15 pm on December 31 from Campo de Marte Airport, in the west of the capital, but did not arrive in Ilhabela. The last contact with the aircraft occurred at 1:15 pm. Around nine hours later, an alert was sent to the Aviation Command and the São Paulo State Fire Department about the possible disappearance of the helicopter.

According to information confirmed by the Military Police, Luciana Rodzewics, 46, and her daughter Letícia Rodzewics Sakumoto, 20, were on board. The helicopter was also carrying the pilot, identified as Cassiano Teodoro, and a friend of the Rodzewics family, Rafael Torres. .

According to the FAB, the Second Squadron of the 10th Aviation Group (Pelican Squadron) was called in to carry out the searches. The SC-10 Amazonas aircraft, mobilized for the sweep, has a radar capable of carrying out searches over land and sea, with a range of up to 360 kilometers. The plane also has an electro-optical image and infrared spectrum search system, which detects signs of heat, being able to locate a person hidden in the forest or under sea water.