Rick disappears in helicopter with 4 people in Santa Catarina
The Santa Catarina Military Fire Corps and the Brazilian Air Force launched emergency operations on the night of September 21, 2026, following the disappearance of a helicopter. Representatives for Rick, from the country music duo Rick e Renner, confirmed that the singer was traveling aboard the missing aircraft.
Emergency teams mobilized sweep operations across the rugged terrain of Urubici in the highlands of Santa Catarina. Rescuers navigated dense vegetation and steep elevations to track the route taken by the flight. Ground crews coordinated with aerial units to monitor the coordinates.
Rick shared a video earlier on September 21 showing the aircraft alongside entrepreneur Bruno Avelar. The musician’s representatives initially hesitated before officially verifying Avelar’s presence on the flight manifest.
Spokespersons for the musical artist reported that communication with the helicopter stopped abruptly during the afternoon. Formal notification regarding the missing aircraft reached emergency authorities at 17:00 on September 21, 2026. Specialized teams promptly activated protocols to track the missing flight.
Four individuals were on board the helicopter when it disappeared. The confirmed flight manifest lists Rick, Bruno Avelar, a production videographer, and the pilot in command.
Helicopter departed Porto Belo before losing contact over rugged terrain
First responders immediately mobilized after receiving the emergency alert. Ground squads deployed specialized equipment to establish an operations base in the mountain area. Communications units set up localized relays to maintain constant contact among field search teams.
Field operations unfolded across two search sectors separated by a distance of 30 kilometers. Rescue efforts focused simultaneously on the potential impact zone and the transmission point from a passenger mobile phone.
Emergency personnel directed initial ground operations to the district of Vacas Gordas after early reports indicated the area as the probable site of an accident. Military personnel focused their ground operations on the rural district of Vacas Gordas following preliminary emergency reports, but teams found no wreckage there and subsequently redirected their response vehicles toward coordinates linked to the passenger cellular signal near São Joaquim. Searchers established new patrol lines across that perimeter.
The Brazilian Air Force stated that the flight originated in the coastal municipality of Porto Belo. The takeoff location sits approximately 190 kilometers from the search perimeter in Urubici.
Severe weather disrupted the mission. The Santa Catarina Military Fire Corps issued alerts warning of intense wind gusts, heavy storms, and hail across the mountain corridor. Hazardous atmospheric conditions slowed the movement of ground vehicles along the slopes.
Firefighters navigated dense forest on foot while driving four-wheel-drive vehicles through the steep mountain paths. The Brazilian Air Force deployed two aircraft to conduct aerial surveillance over the perimeter.
