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Colombian influencer Sofia Murillo died at age 17 in August 2026 after being involved in a fatal helicopter crash.
News broke on August 8, 2026, that Murillo was part of a deadly accident in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, alongside her mother, Wendy Manrique, and her grandmother, Rocio Cubillos — both of whom were killed as well, per g1. Their helicopter pilot, Alessandro Rocha, was also killed in the crash.
The incident occurred less than two months after musician Oliver Tree died in a separate helicopter crash southwest of Rio de Janeiro, where six fatalities resulted when two helicopters collided.
Prior to her tragic death at age 17, Murillo had amassed a significant social media following for her beauty product reviews and “get ready with me” videos.
Keep scrolling for more about Murillo’s life and her shocking death at age 17.
Sofia Murillo Had More Than 250,000 Social Media Followers
The 17-year-old influencer reached more than 200,000 TikTok followers and nearly 50,000 Instagram followers for her lifestyle content. Many of her posts centered around her reviewing cosmetic products and offering beauty tips.
Her final post was released on August 1, focused on her fitness routine. The TikTok video has since become a makeshift memorial, with fans sharing tributes in the comment section.
“Rest in peace angel,” one fan wrote.
“I’m going to miss your tips, Sofi,” another fan replied. “You were one of the few people who managed to boost my self-esteem with your tips. I’m going to miss you so much.”
Sofia Murillo Was on Vacation With Her Family at the Time of Deadly Crash
Murillo’s uncle Victor Manrique told g1 that he was vacationing with his wife and 15-year-old daughter alongside Murillo, her mother, Wendy Manrique, and her grandmother, Rocio Cubillos, at the time of the aviation accident.
The family had apparently booked a 20-minute helicopter ride to see the famed Christ the Redeemer statue. When Murillo, her mother and grandmother boarded their flight around 11 a.m. local time, Victor said he stayed back in the hangar with his wife and daughter to take the next available helicopter.
All 4 People on Board Sofia Murillo’s Helicopter Were Killed
Murillo, Manrique and Cubillos were reportedly on board a four-seat helicopter from local tour agency Voo Rio Panorâmico, piloted by Alessandro Rocha. The aircraft went down near the scenic Vista Chinesa and crashed into a heavily wooded area.
All four people on board the helicopter were killed.
Sofia Murillo’s Deadly Helicopter Crash Caused a Fire
The explosion of the downed helicopter caused a fire to break out in the wooded hillside where the crash took place, reported local outlet g1.
Local fire department spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Fábio Contreiras, told the outlet that 40 military vehicles, 11 vehicles and four operational units took part in the recovery operation.
“The 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,” Contreiras said in a statement, translated from Portuguese to English. “When we arrived, in addition to the helicopter, there was also a fire caused by the explosion of the aircraft’s fuel. That fire has now been completely extinguished.”
The fire department statement went on, “Now, 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.”
An Investigation Into the Deadly Crash Is Ongoing
CNN Brasil reported that Rio de Janeiro’s Civil Police and Brazil’s Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center have opened a formal investigation into the cause of the crash.
Helicopter touring agency Voo Rio Panorâmico’s lawyer stressed to g1 that the company had all of the necessary permits to conduct tours of the area. Voo Rio Panorâmico insisted that the pilot was properly licensed to fly and the aircraft’s maintenance was fully up-to-date.
Voo Rio Panorâmico’s attorney acknowledged that the company is not yet certain what went wrong during the usually routine flight.
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