The body of pilot Leopoldo Barros Teixeira, aged 34, will be laid to rest at the Igreja Matriz de Pongaí (SP), this Wednesday (23), from 8pm. He occupied the co-pilot seat in the helicopter that crashed in Santa Catarina while transporting singer Rick, from the duo Rick & Renner.
The burial will take place on Thursday (24), from 10am, at the Pongaí Municipal Cemetery.
Co-pilot who died in a helicopter crash with Rick is laid to rest at the Pongaí Parish Church — Photo: Andressa Lara/TV TEM/Reproduction
The aircraft, with five occupants, disappeared on Monday afternoon (21) after taking off from Porto Belo, on the North Coast of Santa Catarina, heading to São Joaquim. The wreckage was found this Tuesday (22).
The bodies were released from the Legal Medical Institute (IML) of Florianópolis (SC) in the early hours of this Wednesday, around 1:30 am, after recognition by papilloscopic examination. According to the family, Leopoldo's body was sent to a funeral home in Osasco (SP) before heading to Pongaí.
São José Parish, Main Church in Pongaí hosts the wake of co-pilot Leopoldo Barros Teixeira — Photo: Andressa Lara/TV TEM
Return to aviation
The pilot had resumed his career in civil aviation last year. According to his brother, Lincoln Barros Teixeira, by working in aviation he fulfilled a youthful dream.
"We told him to follow his dream. We always encouraged him. He died, but he died happy doing what he loved," said his brother.
Leopoldo Barros Teixeira acted as co-pilot in the helicopter that crashed with singer Rick, from the duo Rick and Renner — Photo: Reproduction
Lincoln explained that he and his brother were born in Pirajuí (SP), since Pongaí (SP), the city where they grew up, does not have a maternity hospital. According to his brother, Leopoldo had no children, was single and lived in Itapema, on the North Coast of Santa Catarina, where he worked with helicopters.
Lincoln also reported that the family tried to contact Leopoldo on Monday (21), but were unable to. The lack of news began an agonizing wait until death was confirmed.
"We tried to contact him and we couldn't. Then there was all this agony", he said.
Leopoldo Barros Teixeira was born in Pongaí (SP) — Photo: Reproduction
The brother also recalled that Leopoldo's passion for helicopters arose in his youth, thanks to his time with family friends. After a first flight, he decided to take the course and, after a period of hiatus, he decided to resume his dream with the support of his family.
Lincoln also shared that his brother was very loved by everyone: "he is very loved, we are receiving a lot of messages, a lot of people wanting to come to the wake."
Wreaths of flowers fill the Church of Pongaí at the wake of Leopoldo Barros Teixeira — Photo: TV TEM/Reproduction
Helicopter crash in SC
The aircraft with Rick and four other occupants disappeared on Monday afternoon (21) after taking off from Porto Belo, on the North Coast of Santa Catarina, in the morning. The destination was São Joaquim (SC), in the Serra Santa Catarina, on a trip of around 190 kilometers.
Infographic shows approximate location of search for missing helicopter in SC — Photo: Arte/g1
Firefighters received a call about the disappearance around 4 p.m. The operation began to focus on two points: an area initially indicated as a possible location of the crash and the region where the last cell phone signal from one of the occupants was recorded.
The region where the wreckage was found has areas that vary between mountains, plains and dense forest.
The search operation included an aircraft (which found the wreckage), approximately 40 firefighters, two sniffer dogs, more than 10 vehicles and drones with thermal identification capabilities.
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