{"id":38070,"date":"2026-08-11T06:21:35","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T01:21:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=38070"},"modified":"2026-08-11T06:21:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T01:21:35","slug":"influencer-sofia-murillo-17-dies-in-helicopter-crash-with-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=38070","title":{"rendered":"Influencer Sofia Murillo, 17, Dies in Helicopter Crash With Family"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Colombian influencer <strong>Sofia Murillo<\/strong> has died after she was involved in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was 17.<\/p>\n<p>Murillo was with her mother, <strong>Wendy Manrique<\/strong>, and her grandmother, <strong>Rocio Cubillos<\/strong>, while riding in a four-seat helicopter with local tour agency Voo Rio Panor\u00e2mico near scenic outlook Vista Chinesa on Saturday, August 8, before the aircraft reportedly crashed into a wooded area and exploded, according to local outlet <a href=\"https:\/\/g1.globo.com\/rj\/rio-de-janeiro\/noticia\/2026\/08\/08\/queda-de-aeronave-no-alto-da-boa-vista.ghtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>g1<\/em><\/a>. The pilot, <strong>Alessandro Rocha<\/strong>, also died in the accident.<\/p>\n<p>Military personnel were called to the scene, where fire spread throughout the wooded hillside as a result of the crash.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe biggest challenge for the teams right now is access, both to enter and exit the site. The aircraft crashed in a very steep, wooded area with precipitous cliffs, where it is only possible to work using rope techniques and safety equipment,\u201d <strong>Lieutenant Colonel F\u00e1bio Contreiras<\/strong> told <a href=\"https:\/\/g1.globo.com\/rj\/rio-de-janeiro\/noticia\/2026\/08\/08\/queda-de-aeronave-no-alto-da-boa-vista.ghtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">g1<\/a> in a statement, translated from Portuguese to English. \u201cWhen we arrived, in addition to the helicopter, there was also a fire caused by the explosion of the aircraft\u2019s fuel. That fire has now been completely extinguished.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"link-related article link-related__with-thumb\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__thumbnail related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrity-news\/news\/karla-thaynnara-dead-at-25-influencer-had-motorcycle-accident\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Influencer-Dies-at-25-After-Motorcycle-Accident-.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1600px%2C905px&amp;resize=400%2C225&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Influencer-Dies-at-25-After-Motorcycle-Accident-.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1600px%2C905px&amp;resize=200%2C113&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Influencer-Dies-at-25-After-Motorcycle-Accident-.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1600px%2C905px&amp;resize=300%2C169&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Influencer-Dies-at-25-After-Motorcycle-Accident-.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1600px%2C905px&amp;resize=400%2C225&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 400w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Influencer-Dies-at-25-After-Motorcycle-Accident-.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1600px%2C905px&amp;resize=600%2C338&amp;quality=70&amp;strip=all 600w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Influencer-Dies-at-25-After-Motorcycle-Accident-.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1600px%2C905px&amp;resize=800%2C450&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 800w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Influencer-Dies-at-25-After-Motorcycle-Accident-.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1600px%2C905px&amp;resize=900%2C506&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 900w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Influencer-Dies-at-25-After-Motorcycle-Accident-.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1600px%2C905px&amp;resize=1000%2C563&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1000w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Influencer-Dies-at-25-After-Motorcycle-Accident-.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1600px%2C905px&amp;resize=1200%2C675&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1200w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Influencer-Dies-at-25-After-Motorcycle-Accident-.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1600px%2C905px&amp;resize=1600%2C900&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 770px) calc(100vw - 6em), 200px\" alt=\"Influencer Karla Thaynnara Dies at 25 After Motorcycle Accident\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\"\/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"article__content\">\n<h3 class=\"article__title\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__title-link related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrity-news\/news\/karla-thaynnara-dead-at-25-influencer-had-motorcycle-accident\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"related-badge\">Related: <\/span><span class=\"related-title\">Influencer Karla Thaynnara Dies at 25 in Motorcycle Accident, Dad Dies After<\/span><\/a><br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\tBrazilian influencer Karla Thaynnara has died at age 25 after being involved in a motorcycle accident. Local outlet Correio Braziliense reported that Thaynnara died on Tuesday, March 3, after her motorcycle collided with a car on a highway in the region. Thaynnara\u2019s father, Military Police officer Jos\u00e9 Carlos Andrade Nogueira, arrived at the scene and [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The message concluded, \u201cNow, our challenge is to find faster access routes to facilitate the work of the Civil Police and Cenipa forensics teams, as well as the future removal of the bodies. We are working to make this happen as soon as possible, preferably today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Murillo\u2019s uncle <strong>Victor Manrique<\/strong> told the local outlet that he was on vacation in Brazil with the three women, his wife and their 15-year-old daughter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrity-news\/pictures\/influencer-deaths-of-2026-all-of-the-stars-weve-lost-this-year\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">prior to the deadly incident<\/a>. The family had booked a 20-minute scenic helicopter ride to see the Christ the Redeemer statue from the sky, <a href=\"https:\/\/g1.globo.com\/rj\/rio-de-janeiro\/noticia\/2026\/08\/09\/parentes-de-colombianas-mortas-em-queda-de-helicoptero-iml-do-rio.ghtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">g1<\/a> reported. While Murillo, Wendy, and Cubillos boarded the initial flight at 11 a.m. local time on Saturday, the other three family members waited in the hangar for a second aircraft.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-caption \">\n<div class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\" style=\"padding-bottom:132.3%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium credit-added wp-image-4402489\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=1000&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all\" alt=\"Influencer Sofia Murillo Dead After Helicopter Crash\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=100&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 100w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=200&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=300&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=400&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 400w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=500&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 500w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=600&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 600w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=700&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 700w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=800&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 800w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=900&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 900w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=1000&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1000w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1200w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?w=1400&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) calc(100vw - 6em), (max-width: 1000px) 80vw, 1000px\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy of @sofi.ichic\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A lawyer for helicopter company Voo Rio Panor\u00e2mico reportedly shared in a statement to the press that it had yet to uncover a cause for the crash. The lawyer added that the company had permits to operate at the time and in the area, the aircraft\u2019s maintenance was up-to-date and the pilot was licensed to fly, per <a href=\"https:\/\/g1.globo.com\/rj\/rio-de-janeiro\/noticia\/2026\/08\/08\/empresa-responsavel-por-helicoptero-que-caiu-no-rio-diz-que-aeronave-estava-em-dia.ghtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">g1<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"news-block\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form  \">\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-narrow.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"newsletter-form__background background-narrow\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-wide.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"newsletter-form__background background-wide\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"newsletter-signup__success\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<h3>Thank You!<\/h3>\n<p>You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Rio de Janeiro\u2019s Civil Police and Brazilian Air Force have reportedly opened investigations into the incident, per <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnnbrasil.com.br\/nacional\/sudeste\/rj\/policia-e-fab-investigam-queda-de-helicoptero-que-deixou-4-mortos-no-rio\/#google_vignette\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>CNN Brasil<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"link-related article link-related__with-thumb\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__thumbnail related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrity-news\/news\/influencer-luanna-araujo-and-fiance-killed-in-car-crash-report\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/influencer-and-fiance-die-in-high-way-crash.jpg?crop=0px%2C244px%2C1584px%2C895px&amp;resize=400%2C225&amp;quality=40&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/influencer-and-fiance-die-in-high-way-crash.jpg?crop=0px%2C244px%2C1584px%2C895px&amp;resize=200%2C113&amp;quality=55&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/influencer-and-fiance-die-in-high-way-crash.jpg?crop=0px%2C244px%2C1584px%2C895px&amp;resize=300%2C169&amp;quality=55&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/influencer-and-fiance-die-in-high-way-crash.jpg?crop=0px%2C244px%2C1584px%2C895px&amp;resize=400%2C225&amp;quality=40&amp;strip=all 400w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/influencer-and-fiance-die-in-high-way-crash.jpg?crop=0px%2C244px%2C1584px%2C895px&amp;resize=600%2C338&amp;quality=40&amp;strip=all 600w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/influencer-and-fiance-die-in-high-way-crash.jpg?crop=0px%2C244px%2C1584px%2C895px&amp;resize=800%2C450&amp;quality=47&amp;strip=all 800w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/influencer-and-fiance-die-in-high-way-crash.jpg?crop=0px%2C244px%2C1584px%2C895px&amp;resize=900%2C506&amp;quality=70&amp;strip=all 900w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/influencer-and-fiance-die-in-high-way-crash.jpg?crop=0px%2C244px%2C1584px%2C895px&amp;resize=1000%2C563&amp;quality=78&amp;strip=all 1000w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/influencer-and-fiance-die-in-high-way-crash.jpg?crop=0px%2C244px%2C1584px%2C895px&amp;resize=1200%2C675&amp;quality=78&amp;strip=all 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 770px) calc(100vw - 6em), 200px\" alt=\"Influencer Luanna Araujo and Fiance Die in Car Crash on Her 29th Birthday: Report\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\"\/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"article__content\">\n<h3 class=\"article__title\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__title-link related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrity-news\/news\/influencer-luanna-araujo-and-fiance-killed-in-car-crash-report\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"related-badge\">Related: <\/span><span class=\"related-title\">Influencer and Fiance Die in Car Crash on Her 29th Birthday: Report<\/span><\/a><br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\tInfluencer Luanna Ara\u00fajo and her fianc\u00e9 were reportedly killed on her birthday in a three-way highway collision. Ara\u00fajo, fianc\u00e9 Korbinian Andreas Dengler and their friend Herbson Nunes Negr\u00e3o were in a car on September 26 when the vehicle collided with two other trucks around 1:20 a.m. on a Brazil highway, Brazilian news outlet g1 reported. [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Murillo, who had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/entertainment\/news\/best-influencer-accounts-to-follow-in-2026-jake-shane-and-more\/\">more than 200,000 TikTok followers<\/a>, was known for sharing her beauty tips online. Her last post on the platform was seemingly shared on Wednesday, August 5, showing her at the gym. The comments section of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@sofia..chic\/video\/7670635529133706517\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">video<\/a> has since featured tributes to Murillo.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRest in peace angel \ud83d\udc95,\u201d one user wrote, translated to English, while another added, \u201cI\u2019m going to miss your tips, Sofi. You were one of the few who managed to boost my self-esteem with your advice. I\u2019m going to miss you so much \ud83e\udd0d.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Colombian influencer Sofia Murillo has died after she was involved in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was 17. Murillo was with her mother, Wendy Manrique, and her grandmother, Rocio Cubillos, while riding in a four-seat helicopter with local tour agency Voo Rio Panor\u00e2mico near scenic outlook Vista Chinesa on Saturday, August&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38071,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Influencer-Sofia-Murillo-Dead-After-Helicopter-Crash.jpg?crop=0px%2C294px%2C1440px%2C755px&resize=1200%2C630&quality=86&strip=all","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-gossip"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38070"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38070\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/38071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}