Rio de Janeiro: American alt-pop singer and internet personality Oliver Tree was among the passengers aboard one of two helicopters that collided midair Sunday in Brazil, an accident that killed all six individuals on the aircraft, a police source told AFP.

The official provided the flight manifests for both aircraft and noted that the deceased could not yet be formally identified because of severe thermal trauma sustained in the crash.

The helicopters collided over Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a suburb in western Rio de Janeiro, before crashing into the parking lot of an electric vehicle dealership and igniting approximately 20 cars, fire officials said.

One of the helicopters was carrying five occupants, while the other was operated solely by the pilot.

The individuals travelling on the same helicopter as Tree included a Brazilian music producer, an Argentine video director, and Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim, who is known online as Gaspi.

The 32-year-old Tree, recognised for his distinct bowl haircut and eccentric, meme-driven online identity, achieved commercial success with tracks including "Life Goes On," "Miss You," and "Alien Boy." He frequently integrated music with performance art, public pranks, internet parody, and high-risk stunts within his video productions.

Following initial news reports, numerous fans expressed scepticism on social media, questioning whether the accounts of his death in the aviation accident were part of an elaborate theatrical stunt.

Tree commands a digital audience of more than 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify, with his most prominent tracks accumulating over 700 million streams. In recent days, his Instagram profile displayed video footage of him in Brazil, following a June 6 concert performance in Sao Paulo as part of a tour spanning more than 30 nations. His subsequent concert was scheduled for July 1 in Lisbon.

Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere stated earlier Sunday that "foreign nationals on board one of the aircraft," though he withheld additional specifics.

'A really loud explosion'

Thamires Santos, a 27-year-old Burger King employee, said he was working when he heard "a really loud explosion. The shop actually shook." Following the midair impact, he observed aircraft wreckage "flying in all directions."

Fire services spokesman Lt. Col. Fabio Contreiras told CNN Brasil at the scene that the exact sequence of events leading to the collision remained undetermined.

"Parts of the aircraft are scattered hundreds of meters away, so the information we have is still very preliminary," Contreiras said. "We really need to get the recordings and videos to understand exactly what happened."

Contreiras said emergency personnel located one burning helicopter resting among the electric vehicles with five victims inside. The second helicopter was discovered roughly 100 meters away, containing only the pilot, who also suffered fatal injuries.

"Given the surrounding residences, the accident could have been far more tragic," Contreiras added.

He noted the operational difficulties associated with combating fires involving electric vehicles, which utilise lithium-ion batteries.

"When this type of battery catches fire, it releases highly toxic gases and intensifies both the temperature and the severity of the blaze. Extinguishing a fire in one of these vehicles requires three to four times the amount of water needed for a fire in a standard car."

Accidents involving small aircraft occur with relative frequency in Brazil, the world's fifth-largest nation. Last month, a small plane crashed into a structure in the southeastern city of Belo Horizonte, killing both the pilot and copilot.

According to data maintained by the Centre for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA), which excludes Sunday's collision, Brazil has recorded 84 aircraft accidents so far in 2026, resulting in 25 fatalities.

With inputs from AFP