Mid-Air Collision Kills American Musician Oliver Tree and Five Others in Rio de Janeiro
A mid-air collision between two helicopters over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday, June 8, 2025, resulted in the deaths of all six occupants. The victims include American musician Oliver Tree and five others.
The collision occurred over the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood in the southwest zone of Rio de Janeiro.
Reports of the exact time vary, with sources stating either approximately 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. local time. One helicopter crashed into the parking lot of a car dealership, igniting a fire that destroyed or damaged between 15 and 20 electric vehicles. The fire was extinguished by the Rio de Janeiro Military Fire Department. The other helicopter crashed in a separate location, which authorities did not specify. No survivors were found.
An eyewitness, tire repair worker Fernandes de Freitas, reported seeing one of the helicopters in flames and a passenger jump from the other aircraft before it crashed.
The Victims
According to passenger lists provided to aviation authorities, the six deceased individuals are:
- Oliver Tree Nickell (known as Oliver Tree), 32, American singer and songwriter
- Gaspar Prim Díaz (known as Gaspi), 23, Argentine YouTuber and content creator
- Lucas Vignale, 29, independent filmmaker and director
- Lucas Brito Chaves (known as Lucas Frota), 21, Brazilian DJ and music producer
- Alexandre Souza, pilot
- Charles Marsillac, pilot
One helicopter was carrying five passengers; the other was occupied only by the pilot. Formal identification of the bodies was pending at the time of reporting due to severe burns.
Investigation Underway
The 42nd Police Station in Rio de Janeiro is investigating the cause of the collision. A forensic examination of the crash site has been requested. The Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro expressed condolences. The exact cause of the collision has not been determined.
Background on Oliver Tree
Oliver Tree Nickell was born on June 29, 1993, in Santa Cruz, California. He rose to fame in 2016 through the social media platform Vine, using the alter ego 'Turbo.' He signed with Atlantic Records in 2017 following the viral success of his song "When I'm Down." He released four studio albums: Ugly Is Beautiful (2020), Cowboy Tears (2022), Alone in a Crowd (2023), and Love You Madly, Hate You Badly (April 2025).
At the time of his death, Tree was on a world tour. He had performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina on June 4 and in São Paulo, Brazil on June 6. His next scheduled performance was in Lisbon, Portugal on July 1, with further dates in Europe and Australia scheduled through 2026.
Tree was known for songs including "Life Goes On," "Miss You," "Alien Boy," and "Cash Machine." He had over 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify. In 2024, "Miss You" was nominated for the Brit Award for International Song and reached No. 3 on the UK singles chart. In 2020, he set a Guinness World Record for the largest kick scooter.
Family Statements and Will Arrangements
Christine Begin Nickell, Tree's mother, posted on Facebook: "Our dear son Oliver, you made this world a better place. We are so proud of you. RIP."
Tree is survived by his parents, Christine and Jesse Nickell, and his girlfriend, fashion photographer Fiona Chernavskaya.
An Instagram post on Tree's official account announced that his remains have been returned to California. The post stated, "Oliver is now back in California where he can finally rest."
The post also confirmed the establishment of a foundation, as specified in Tree's will, named "Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Grant For Baby Geniuses." The foundation will provide grants for artists to physically produce art, with a committee voting on grant recipients. Tree had stated in an April 24 interview that his family would not inherit his wealth and that his assets would be directed toward artists.