Abroad
US singer Oliver Tree, 32, among 6 killed in mid-air helicopter crash in Brazil
Tree was in Brazil for a world tour.
June 15, 2026, 11:08 AM
Image from AFP and wiki
American alt-pop singer and internet personality Oliver Tree was among six individuals who were killed in a mid-air helicopter collision in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
The incident occurred on the morning of Jun. 14 in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a western suburb of Rio De Janeiro, AFP reported.
Mid-air collision
In videos circulating online, two helicopters were seen colliding mid-air before plummeting into a car park reportedly belonging to an electric car dealership.
About 20 vehicles, including the helicopters, were set ablaze as a result of the collision.
According to local police sources, the 32-year-old was listed as one of the six people on the manifest of one of the helicopters, and the victims could not be formally identified yet as they were badly burned in the crash.
One of the helicopters carried five individuals, including Tree.
There were no survivors.
Among the helicopter Tree was in was an Argentine video director, a Brazilian music producer and an Argentine YouTuber, Gaspar Prim, known online as Gaspi.
Eyewitnesses and emergency responders
According to Thamires Santos, a 27-year-old Burger King employee who was working when the incident occurred, a “really loud explosion” was heard.
He apparently saw helicopter parts “flying in all directions.”
Local fire services spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Fabio Contreiras, told local media that it was unclear exactly how the incident unfolded.
“Parts of the aircraft are scattered hundreds of metres away, so the information we have is still very preliminary,” he said.
Oliver Tree
Oliver Tree Nickell, known professionally as Oliver Tree, was a singer and songwriter who gained international fame in 2021.
Tree was in Brazil for a world tour and was due to play more than 70 shows across 30 countries on seven continents.
In recent days, his Instagram account featured videos of him in Brazil, where he performed in São Paulo on Jun. 6 as part of his tour.
His next show was due in Lisbon, Portugal, on Jul. 1.
He was known for his iconic bowl cut, and his hit songs “Miss You” and “Life Goes On”.
