A British man from Leeds has died in a helicopter crash in Brazil, with aviation investigators from the United Kingdom now assisting local authorities in determining the cause. Oliver Tree, 34, was one of two fatalities when the aircraft came down in a remote area of the Amazon rainforest on Tuesday afternoon. The helicopter, a Robinson R44, was reportedly on a tourist excursion when it lost contact with air traffic control.
Wreckage was found hours later by search teams, with no survivors. Tree, who had been living in São Paulo, was a well-known figure in the expatriate community and worked as an engineer. His family in West Yorkshire have been informed and are being supported by the Foreign Office.
The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch has dispatched a team to Brazil as part of routine cooperation, focusing on the aircraft's maintenance history and pilot qualifications. The crash adds to a grim toll of aviation accidents in the region, raising concerns about safety standards in remote operations. A statement from Tree's family described him as a 'passionate adventurer' who 'lived life to the fullest.
' The investigation is expected to take weeks, with findings to be shared between UK and Brazilian officials.
