Brazilian Air Force shoots down drug trafficking plane from Venezuela, killing 2

A drug trafficking plane that illegally entered Brazil from Venezuela was shot down by the country’s Air Force, killing two pilots, according to officials.

On Tuesday, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) intercepted and shot down a drug trafficking plane that had entered Brazilian airspace from the Venezuelan border. The aircraft was initially ordered to land but ignored repeated warnings.

Two men piloting the plane were found dead at the crash site in a forested area, according to Globo. The drug shipment they were transporting was also recovered.

The FAB reported that upon detecting the unidentified aircraft, it followed all standard procedures to force a landing without firing at the fuselage. However, the plane failed to respond, classifying it as a “hostile” aircraft.

“Since it did not comply with the coercive procedures, the aircraft was classified as hostile and, therefore, subjected to the Detention Shot (TDE), which consists of firing shots with the purpose of preventing the continuation of the flight,” the FAB stated. “This measure is used as a last resort, after the intercepted aircraft fails to comply with all established procedures and forces the continuation of the illicit flight.”

A similar incident was reported in early February, when an aircraft illegally entered Brazil from Peru carrying over 1,100 pounds of drugs. The Brazilian Air Force intercepted the plane, and after being ordered to land, the aircraft made a forced landing on a dirt runway in the Amazon, where it collided with trees. The pilots set the aircraft ablaze before fleeing the scene.