A newlywed bride died when the overloaded hot air balloon she was in plummeted to the ground with 35 people on board.

Psychologist Juliana Prado de Oliveira Pereira died instantly when the balloon fell out of the sky in atrocious weather conditions in Capela do Alto, in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, on 15th June.

Police say 11 other passengers were injured when the gondola crashed to the ground.

Juliana Prado de Oliveira Pereira poses in undated photo. She died after a hot air balloon crashed in Capela do Alto, Brazil, on 15 June 2025. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (Juliana Alves/Newsflash/NX)

On board were 33 passengers, a pilot and his assistant despite a maximum gondola capacity of 24.

Its pilot has since been arrested as police investigate manslaughter and negligence allegations.

Juliana had been on a romantic day out with her recently-wed husband, Leandro de Aquino Pereira, when she died.

Her husband's grandmother told local media: "She was a very, very loved person.

Juliana Prado de Oliveira Pereira poses in undated photo. She died after a hot air balloon crashed in Capela do Alto, Brazil, on 15 June 2025. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (Juliana Alves/Newsflash/NX)

"I can't believe Ju is gone. I still can't believe that a trip like that took her away."

It later emerged that the flight had taken place on the same day that the Brazilian Ballooning Championship being held nearby was grounded because of 70 kph winds.

The maximum wind speed allowed for ballooning in Brazil is 10 kph.

Juliana Prado de Oliveira Pereira poses in undated photo. She died after a hot air balloon crashed in Capela do Alto, Brazil, on 15 June 2025. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (Juliana Alves/Newsflash/NX)

Police investigating the crash say the pilot, who has not been named, had no flying licence but blamed it on "quickly changing weather conditions".

Brazilian Ballooning Confederation head Johnny Silva said: "It was a rogue balloon."

(Joseph Golder / newsX)