2009 Brasil de Pelotas bus disaster

Brasil de Pelotas Bus Disaster
Details
Date15 January 2009
c. 23:00 p.m. BRT
LocationBR-392, Canguçu, Rio Grande do Sul
Coordinates31°23′29″S 52°41′47″W / 31.39143664360661°S 52.69634592716702°W / -31.39143664360661; -52.69634592716702
CountryBrazil
Incident typerollover
Causeloss of control on a dangerous curve
Statistics
Vehicles1
Deaths3
Injured28

2009 Brasil de Pelotas bus disaster was a bus accident that occurred on 15 January 2009, which killed three members of the Grêmio Esportivo Brasil (Brasil de Pelotas) delegation, who were returning from the city of Vale do Sol after a friendly match against Futebol Clube Santa Cruz.

Accident

To prepare for the 2009 Campeonato Gaúcho, the club's then-coach, Armando Desessards, requested a preseason friendly to the club's director. On 15 January, a match against FC Santa Cruz took place in Vale do Sol, with GE Brasil winning by 2-1.[1]

On the way back to Pelotas, around 11:00 pm, the bus carrying the club delegation with 31 people overturned while speeding around a sharp curve on the connection between highways BR-471 and BR-392, in the city of Canguçu. According to the Federal Highway Police's investigation, the bus fell from a height of 40 meters, equivalent to a 15-story building, completely overturning at least four times.

Players Cláudio Milar (34) and Régis Gouveia (28), as well the goalkeeper coach Giovani Guimarães (40), died during the rollover.[2] Another 28 people were injured to varying degrees. One of the players at time, Odair suffered severe spinal trauma and was forced to retire a few months later.[3][4] Danrlei, who was Brasil de Pelotas' big signing for the season, stated in an interview with ESPN in 2023 that he has never been on a bus again since the accident.[5] The defender Alex Martins, who was sitting next to Régis, said that the driver had already left the road a few times on the team's journey to the match in Vale do Sol.[6] Uruguayan from the city of Chuy, Milar was one of the main players in the history of GE Brasil, having scored more than 100 goals for the club.[7][8]

Aftermath

In addition to Odair, Brasil de Pelotas lost the following injured players for the state championship: Edu, Xuxa, Uendel, Alemão and Rafael Gaúcho, The coach Armando Desessards also claimed he was unable to continue in charge of the team.[9] On the same day, Claudio Duarte offers to train Brazil for free. The Federação Gaúcha de Futebol postponed the club's debut in Campeonato Gaúcho by 16 days so the club could restructure its squad. Even so, the team faced serious problems during the competition and ended up being relegated.[10] The player Eliandro also highlighted the psychological terror the group suffered with the return of the competition, and as a consequence of the bus trips, where the players' emotional state was completely compromised.[9]

In May 2013, Regis Gouveia's family received R$ 80,000 in compensation from the state court, along with the transport company that owned the bus.[11] In 2014, the driver Wendel Vergara was sentenced to three years and two months in prison for manslaughter. As a first-time offender, Vergara was released on bail and served community service.[12]

After relegation from the state championship, GE Brasil still had the 2009 Campeonato Brasileiro Série B ahead of them, managing to re-establish itself for the rest of the season, finishing in 9th place. The club remained in the second national level until 2019. Through the state championship, the club returned to the elite, winning the Campeonato Gaúcho Série A2 in 2013.[13][14][15]

In 2025, Claudio's son, Agustín Milar, was selected by Brasil de Pelotas as a professional for the first time in the 2025 Campeonato Gaúcho.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ônibus com time de futebol capota e deixa 3 mortos no RS". Folha de São Paulo (in Portuguese). 17 January 2009. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Giovani Guimarães também era natural de Pelotas". NSC Total (in Portuguese). 16 January 2009. Archived from the original on 3 August 2025.
  3. ^ "De capitão na base a técnico feito pelo (e para) Inter: conheça a história de Odair". GloboEsporte (in Portuguese). 18 September 2019. Archived from the original on 2 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Sobrevivente revela detalhes da tragédia com ônibus do Brasil de Pelotas". Gazeta do Povo (in Portuguese). 16 January 2009. Archived from the original on 3 August 2025.
  5. ^ "'Não lembro de ter entrado em um ônibus depois de lá': Danrlei e o trauma que carrega após acidente". ESPN Brasil (in Portuguese). 12 May 2023. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Xavante, Avante! Maior tragédia do futebol gaúcho, acidente com ônibus do Brasil completa 10 anos". GloboEsporte (in Portuguese). 15 January 2019. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Cinco anos depois, tragédia Xavante deixa cicatrizes no corpo e na alma". GloboEsporte (in Portuguese). 15 January 2014. Archived from the original on 26 November 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Filho de Cláudio Milar é relacionado pela primeira pelo Brasil no Gauchão". Peleia FC (in Portuguese). 4 February 2025. Archived from the original on 22 April 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Força, Xavante! Brasil de Pelotas lida com cicatrizes dez anos após tragédia". Lance! (in Portuguese). 15 January 2019. Archived from the original on 15 February 2019.
  10. ^ "Brasil de Pelotas: cronologia do descenso". GloboEsporte (in Portuguese). 24 March 2009. Archived from the original on 3 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Família de atleta do Brasil de Pelotas morto em 2009 será indenizada". Correio do Povo (in Portuguese). 31 May 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Condenado motorista do ônibus em acidente que vitimou jogadores do Brasil de Pelotas". Jusbrasil (in Portuguese). 16 January 2015. Archived from the original on 2 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Trio envolvido em acidente com ônibus do Brasil-RS se reencontra 15 anos após tragédia; veja". GloboEsporte (in Portuguese). 15 January 2024. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Brasil de Pelotas saiu das lágrimas da tragédia de 2009 para se reconstruir ainda mais forte 10 anos depois". Trivela (in Portuguese). 24 March 2019. Archived from the original on 18 March 2025.
  15. ^ "Brasil de Pelotas bate São Paulo-RS e é campeão da Divisão de Acesso". GloboEsporte (in Portuguese). 21 July 2013.
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