SAO PAULO, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Five people, including Brazilian singer Rick Sollo of the sertanejo music duo Rick & Renner, were found dead Tuesday after their helicopter crashed in a mountainous area of southern Brazil's Santa Catarina state, the fire department said.
The helicopter went missing on Monday after taking off from Porto Belo on the state's northern coast bound for Sao Joaquim, where severe weather and thunderstorms had been forecast.
Also aboard were businessman Bruno Avelar, cameraman Paulo Soares, the pilot and co-pilot.
The wreckage was located Tuesday during a search involving about 40 firefighters, more than 10 vehicles and drones, two search dogs, and an aircraft amid foggy conditions.
Brazil's civil aviation agency said the aircraft, a Bell 430 manufactured in 2001, was authorized to operate.
Rick & Renner is one of Brazil's most well-known sertanejo music duos with a career dating back to the 1980s.
