SAO PAULO, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Eight people were killed Saturday when a hot air balloon carrying tourists caught fire and crashed in Praia Grande, a popular tourism destination in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, said regional authorities.

The balloon was carrying 21 people when it burst into flames and plummeted to the ground -- a scene captured on video by nearby tourists and widely shared on social media.

"There were 21 people on board -- 8 fatalities and 13 survivors," Santa Catarina Governor Jorginho Mello said on the social platform X.

Praia Grande is known as one of southern Brazil's top destinations for hot air balloon rides. ■