By TMZ | Created at 2026-08-10 20:09:41 | Updated at 2026-08-10 22:21:27
5 hours ago
Influencer Sofia Murillo Dead at 17 In Helicopter Crash ... Mom, Grandma Killed Too
Published August 10, 2026 9:43 AM PDT
Three generations of one family -- a 17-year-old influencer, her mother and her grandmother -- died in a fiery helicopter crash in Brazil ... while their relatives waited at the hangar for the next flight.
Sofia Murillo boarded the sightseeing helicopter in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday with her mother, Wendy Manrique, and grandmother, Rocio Cubillos. Pilot Alessandro Rocha was also aboard -- all were killed.
Sofia had more than 250,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, where she shared beauty advice and cosmetic reviews.
Her final post came three days before the crash.
Waiting for your permission to load TikTok Post.
The family was vacationing in Brazil and booked a 20-minute flight to see the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue.
Because the helicopter could only carry three passengers, the family split into groups. Sofia, her mom, and grandmother took off first around 11 AM.
Sofia's uncle, his wife and the couple's 15-year-old daughter remained at the hangar ... and her uncle told local outlets they learned about the crash from news reports while waiting for their turn.
The helicopter went down in a remote, wooded area and burst into flames ... complicating rescue efforts.
The crash remains under investigation ... but the tour company claims the helicopter's maintenance was current, the business had the required permit, and the pilot was properly licensed.
The fatal crash comes less than two months after Oliver Tree died in a helicopter collision -- also in Rio de Janeiro.
RIP
