Featured Image Credit: YouTube / Gaspi
There's tragedy as popular YouTuber Gaspar "Gaspi" Prim is among the six victims involved in a horror helicopter crash that claimed their lives in Rio de Janeiro.
The Argentinian-born Prim made a name for himself on YouTube, amassing over 2.8 million subscribers through his controversial content and chaotic street interviews.
Despite posting only a handful of videos, Gaspi's followers soared, which might've had something to do with some of his more divisive content being pulled from online platforms for pushing ethical boundaries.
According to CNN Brazil, Prim was one of five people in one helicopter who lost their lives when it collided with another, where only the pilot was inside.
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The incident took place in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a Southwest zone of Rio de Janeiro, in the early hours of June 14.
While there are numerous comments from people unable to believe Prim's passing and that it could be just one of his 'pranks', it's been confirmed that the 23-year-old is among the crash's victims.
Alongside Gaspi, singer Oliver Tree sadly perished. Tree had over 20 million followers on social media and was in the midst of his own world tour. He was due to play the first show of his European leg on July 1 in Lisbon.
As well as Tree and Prim, Lucas Vignale and Lucas Brito Chaves were the other passengers, while Alexandre Souza was piloting their helicopter. Charles Marsillac was the pilot of the second helicopter when the pair were involved in a midair collision.
With no survivors, the bodies were taken to the Afrânio Peixoto Forensic Medical Institute in downtown Rio.
As authorities in Brazil try to determine the cause of the crash, a person close to Marsillac reiterated his skills as a pilot and said he was "very experienced and serious ." A friend added: "The people who flew with him admired him for his seriousness and commitment. He was a family man and loving."
Footage on social media shows a fiery blaze, with the helicopters crashing above a parking lot and setting at least 20 vehicles on fire.
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) was called to the scene and carried out specific techniques for data collection, preservation of evidence, and initial assessment of what damage was caused.
In response to the crash, the ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency) shared its condolences and confirmed it was similarly looking into the accident.
As for Gaspi, tributes have been pouring in for the 23-year-old, who'd recently announced his "Gaspi visita tu hogar" (Gaspi Visits Your Home) series. He notably took a break from content creation between 2022 and 2024, and although he'd returned more recently, he was still known for posting sporadically.
His last YouTube video was posted eight months ago, while he only posted on Instagram five days ago.
Responding to that post, one person said: "Rest in peace genius🕊️💔."
Another added: "Please reappear and tell me what the joke is :(."
A third concluded: "How unfair is life 💔 The best always leave. Everything seems like a lie. I'm so sorry machine ❤️."
