Father of Influencer Sofia Murillo, 17, Reveals Heartbreaking Moment He Learned She Died in Helicopter Crash
Father of Influencer Sofia Murillo, 17, Reveals Heartbreaking Moment He Learned She Died in Helicopter Crash
Luke ChinmanTue, August 11, 2026 at 8:28 PM UTC
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Sofia MurilloCredit: Sofia Murillo/Instagram -
Influencer Sofia Murillo’s father spoke out after she died in a helicopter crash
The Colombian content creator was riding in a four-seat helicopter on a 20-minute tour with her mother and grandmother when the aircraft crashed near a scenic overlook in Brazil on Aug. 8
Murillo was known to hundreds of thousands of followers online for sharing beauty tips and offering her thoughts on popular cosmetic products
Influencer Sofia Murillo’s father is speaking out after she died in a helicopter crash.
On Aug. 8, Murillo — a 17-year-old Colombian content creator who had a combined following of over 250,000 across Instagram and TikTok — was riding in a four-seat helicopter on a 20-minute tour with her mother and grandmother when the aircraft crashed near Vista Chinesa, a forested scenic overlook in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, per local outlets CNN Brasil and g1. The three family members and the helicopter’s pilot died in the incident.
Murillo’s uncle, aunt and cousin — who were in Brazil with the three deceased family members on a trip — told local outlets Murillo had boarded the helicopter around 11 a.m. for what was supposed to be a 20-minute scenic helicopter ride to see the iconic Christ the Redeemer from the sky, per g1. The three family members waited in the hangar, intending to take a second flight, when they learned of the crash from local news reports, they reportedly claimed.
Speaking to local press, Murillo’s father, Diego Murillo, said he learned of the tragedy when he received a call from his brother, reported g1.
Sofia MurilloCredit: Sofia Murillo/Instagram
“Sofia was a girl who was very concerned about the people around her,” Diego remembered of his daughter, per g1. “And she always wanted to convey that to others as well, to give them confidence in themselves. That’s why, in her videos, she wanted people to feel unique.”
The content creator, who was based in Bogotá, Colombia, was known online for sharing beauty tips and offering her thoughts on popular cosmetic products.
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Diego also shared with local press that Sofia was on her first trip to Brazil at the time of her death and that it was “one of her dreams” to visit Rio de Janeiro.
g1 reported that the local fire department responded to the fiery wreckage of the helicopter on Saturday at 11:11 a.m., though the response was difficult because of the remote nature of the crash site. The crash also caused the fire to spread across the wooded hillside, though military personnel who had expertise in fighting fires managed to control the blaze, per g1.
Sofia MurilloCredit: Sofia Murillo/Instagram
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In a statement to the press, a lawyer for Voo Rio Panorâmico, the helicopter company operating the ride, said that it had not yet determined a cause for the crash, per g1. The lawyer also reportedly added that the company had necessary permits to operate, the aircraft’s maintenance was up to date and the pilot was appropriately licensed to fly.
Brazil’s Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center and Rio de Janeiro’s Civil Police have opened investigations into the incident, reported g1.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
