Journalists from Band Minas were returning from a report on the risks of BR-381, in the state of Minas Gerais, when the station’s vehicle collided head-on with a truck. Two professionals died.
A serious accident in southeastern Brazil killed two employees of Band Minas, a regional affiliate of the Brazilian broadcaster Band, after a collision between a news vehicle and a truck on the BR-381 highway, one of the most dangerous roads in the country. The incident took place in Sabará, a city in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, the capital of the state of Minas Gerais.
The victims were cameraman Rodrigo Lapa, 49, and reporter Alice Ribeiro, 35. The accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, April 15, at kilometer 444 of BR-381. Rodrigo, who was driving the vehicle, died at the scene. Alice was rescued in critical condition and airlifted by helicopter to Hospital João XXIII in Belo Horizonte, but was declared brain dead on the evening of the following day.
The tragedy drew even more attention because the team was returning from a report about the need to expand BR-381 to reduce the number of accidents. In other words, the journalists died after covering the dangers of the very road where the collision occurred.
Due to the impact of the crash, the front of the car was completely destroyed, and the stretch of road was temporarily closed. According to the released information, Alice suffered a traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures, remaining hospitalized in a coma until the confirmation of brain death.
Rodrigo Lapa was from Porto Alegre, in southern Brazil, and is survived by his wife and two children. Alice Ribeiro was from Belo Horizonte, was married, and the mother of a baby under one year old. Both had recognized careers in regional journalism, and their deaths caused strong commotion among colleagues, authorities, and viewers.
The case also reignited the debate over the safety of BR-381, a highway that connects strategic areas of Minas Gerais and has long been considered one of the most critical in the country. Data cited in the report show that sections of the road have recorded hundreds of incidents and multiple fatalities, reinforcing pressure for infrastructure projects and traffic improvements.
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Source and images: TV BAND MINAS | Instagram @band_minas. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
