Pilot and Passenger Miraculously Survive After Plane Nosedives Into River (Video)

Two people narrowly escaped with their lives after a light aircraft crashed nose-first into a river in Brazil — a terrifying moment captured on video that shows just how close the incident came to ending in tragedy.

Shocking footage shows the small plane flying dangerously low over the Rio Negro near Manaus before suddenly pitching downward and slamming into the water with a massive splash.

Eyewitness Fernando Araújo said the aircraft had already skimmed the surface of the river twice moments before the crash. Araújo, an architect, was riding a jet ski when he noticed the plane flying unusually low, as if preparing for another landing attempt.

“After that, it climbed again, flew on for a short while and tried a maneuver, as if turning to land, but it didn’t manage it,” Araújo told local media.

Seconds later, the aircraft plunged straight into the water.

WATCH THE SCARY VIDEO BELOW:

Araújo rushed to the scene and was the first person to reach the plane as it sat half-submerged in the river. Inside, he found two men. The older man, believed to be the pilot, appeared to be in shock, while the younger passenger was able to use his phone to call for help.

Both men were pulled from the wreckage by members of the public and given first aid at the scene before being transported for medical treatment.

In a statement, the Fire Department confirmed that by the time crews arrived, the pilot and passenger had already been rescued. Firefighters secured the crash site and said there was no immediate risk of explosion despite concerns about leaking fuel.

Neither man has been publicly identified. The exact extent of their injuries remains unclear, though photos circulating online show both men with facial bandages, and one with a wrap on his knee.

Araújo later reflected on the rescue in a social media post.

“Today I witnessed an air accident in the Paricatuba region of Amazonas,” he wrote. “We were the first to arrive and were able to help the pilot and passenger, who, by the grace of God, came out of the accident alive.”

Authorities have not yet released details about what caused the crash.