RIO DE JANEIRO — American musician and comedian Oliver Tree is among the six people killed after two helicopters collided over the city on Sunday morning, according to reports from Brazilian authorities and local media. The crash sent debris raining down on a car dealership in the western zone, sparking a fire that firefighters quickly extinguished.
Tree, 32, whose real name is Oliver Tree Nickell, had been in Brazil for the first time, as shown in an Instagram post where he wore a Brazil soccer jersey. He was listed among the passengers on the flight manifest provided to aviation officials, police confirmed. However, authorities have not yet formally identified all remains.
The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro, along with outlets CNN Brazil and Metrópoles, reported that Tree was among the dead. The other victims include pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac, music producer Lucas Brito Chaves Frota, director Lucas Vignale, and YouTuber Gaspar Prim (known as Gaspi).
Tree rose to prominence in the 2010s through the now-defunct platform Vine, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He released four studio albums, including Love you Madly, Hate you Badly in April. He had collaborated with artists such as Skrillex and Zeds Dead, as noted by Page Six. Tree had a string of upcoming tour dates across the United States, including stops in Nashville, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, and Austin.
The collision occurred in midair, and one helicopter crashed into a car dealership parking lot where several electric vehicles were parked, igniting a blaze. Emergency workers were seen inspecting the wreckage at the site in the western zone of Rio. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
This tragedy comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Brazil on trade and diplomatic fronts. The incident also highlights broader questions about aviation safety in the region, particularly as Brazil's infrastructure faces strains under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration. Lula's recent pivot toward China has raised concerns about Brazil's sovereignty and economic stability, while former President Donald Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on Brazilian goods, escalating trade tensions despite a U.S. trade surplus.
Content creator Iae Break, who had posted a video with Tree, shared a story on Instagram with five crying emojis. The investigation into the collision is ongoing, with officials expected to release more details in the coming days.
