Oliver Tree’s producer Victor WAO says he came very close to boarding the fatal helicopter flight that took the lives of the singer and five other people.
“I was supposed to be with you guys in that helicopter, and I didn’t go at the last second,” Victor wrote via a translated Instagram Story on Monday, June 15. “You told me that since I was scared [of flying], you had managed to get a car to take me to Angra and someone else would go in my place.”
“Now I owe you my life, brother,” he continued when praising his best friend and music producer Lucas Frota. “I don’t know what to do at this moment. I love you so much! I will never forget you! Lucas, you were pure light!”
News broke on Sunday, June 14, that two helicopters had crashed into one another in southwest Rio de Janeiro. According to a same-day report from CNN Brazil, Tree, 32, and Frota were two of six fatalities.
In a separate Instagram post, Victor shared a collage of photos with his friends who tragically lost their lives in the helicopter crash.
“THANK YOU FOR BEING THE BEST FRIEND I COULD ASK GOD FOR!” he wrote via Instagram on Monday. “I will always remember you with that smile on your face that enchanted everyone! I love you, See you on the other side @iamlucasfrota @frotographs_ I love you forever 💔🙏🏻.”
As an investigation into the helicopter crash continues, new details about the incident continue to be revealed.
According to NBC News, the crash occurred just before 9 a.m. local time, Rio de Janeiro’s Military Fire Department said. The helicopters fell onto a car dealership parking lot after the mid-air collision, sparking a fire involving 15 cars, authorities said. The blaze was later extinguished.
“We express our deep sorrow for the six victims resulting from the accident involving two aircraft in the Southwest Zone of Rio de Janeiro,” the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro said in a post via X. “In this moment of pain, I express my solidarity to the family members and friends of the victims of the tragedy.”
Tree had been traveling for his world tour and most recently performed in São Paulo on June 6. He was scheduled to perform again in Lisbon, Portugal, on July 1.
Earlier this week, Tree’s girlfriend, Fiona Chernavskaya, broke her silence on the singer’s death in a series of social media posts.
“Thank you for all the kind words,” she wrote via her Instagram Story on Wednesday, June 17. “I appreciate every ounce of support at this time. There are so many who have been affected by his passing, please show them love too.”
Chernavskaya added, “And please have some respect for my privacy, we kept our relationship very intimate. … Right now, I’m mourning my partner and best friend, anything else is unimportant. Please have some respect.”
