Brazil, Including Pretending to Be a Soccer Star, in the Days Before His Death
The musician was among the six fatalities in a crash involving two helicopters that collided in Rio de Janeiro on June 14
NEED TO KNOW
- Singer Oliver Tree shared some details about his first trip to Brazil before his tragic death in a helicopter crash
- In social media posts made in the days leading up to the crash that claimed his and five other lives, Tree could be seen spending time with friends, enjoying street food and more
- The singer was among the six fatalities in a crash involving two helicopters that collided in Rio de Janeiro on June 14
Oliver Tree shared some details about his first trip to Brazil before his tragic death in a helicopter crash.
Posts shared on social media in the days leading up to the June 14 crash that claimed his and five other lives showed how the singer-songwriter, 32, and his friends spent their time during their visit to Rio de Janeiro.
Influencer Iae Break and Tree shared a joint video on Instagram just one day before Tree’s death, captioned, “An American’s first time in Brazil.”
The playful video showed Tree getting a haircut, jokingly calling himself “Neymar” after the Brazilian soccer star while holding a replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy, riding a motorcycle and grilling up some meat.
Just one day after the lighthearted post, Break shared a post that featured several shots of himself and the “Life Goes On” singer in different poses with a view of Rio behind them.
“I can’t believe you guys are gone 😭,” Break captioned the emotional tribute in Portuguese.
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Tree, born Oliver Tree Nickell in Santa Cruz, Calif., was on tour at the time of his death. He performed in São Paulo on June 6, and his website shows that he was next set to play in Lisbon, Portugal, on July 1.
The musician, who has more than 2 million followers on Instagram, released his latest studio album, Love You Madly Hate You Badly, on April 24.
His debut album, Ugly Is Beautiful, came out in 2020, followed by Cowboy Tears and Alone in a Crowd.
The singer was among the six fatalities in a crash involving two helicopters that collided on Sunday, according to CNN Brazil. The Associated Press reported that there were no survivors.
Rio de Janeiro’s Military Fire Department said one of the helicopters crashed into the parking lot of a car dealership and ignited a fire, per AP.
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The Civil Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro confirmed the crash in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
“The investigation is ongoing at the 42nd Police Precinct. A forensic examination was conducted at the scene, and agents are awaiting the report from the Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents,” police said.
“The bodies of the six victims will undergo forensic examination for identification, which will be compared to data in the records of the Air Operations Center,” the statement continued.
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Also among those killed in the crash were Gaspar Prim, an Argentine YouTuber who shared content under the name Gaspi, Lucas Vignale and Lucas Brito Chaves. Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac were the pilots, per CNN Brazil.
Brazilian officials said that an investigation to determine the cause of the crash is still ongoing.
