Ten people lost their lives in a tragic accident after a car plunged into a lake in a rural area of the Brazilian municipality of Barra Mansa, located in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The incident occurred during the early hours of Sunday, coming to light only after a passer-by noticed the submerged vehicle and raised the alarm.
Emergency teams, including firefighters and two divers, were dispatched to the scene to conduct recovery operations. In a statement, the government of the state of Rio de Janeiro confirmed that all ten victims were already dead by the time they were removed from the water. The authorities expressed their condolences on social media, verifying that the group consisted of five adults and five children. Some local media reports indicated that a baby girl was among those who perished. While the identities of the victims have not yet been officially confirmed, the media outlet G1, citing a relative, reported that all individuals involved belonged to the same family.
Local authorities have officially classified the event as an accident, and the police have launched an investigation to determine the specific circumstances surrounding the tragedy. The incident followed heavy rainfall in the Rio de Janeiro region on Saturday, which had caused flooding across several streets, including those in tourist areas such as Copacabana.
