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Brazil's biggest maritime tragedy shocked the country on New Year's Eve 1988, when 55 people died on their way to see the fireworks in Rio de Janeiro. More than 150 passengers boarded the Bateau Mouche IV, unaware it was a ticking time bomb - a boat owned by a group of greedy and careless businessmen. The tragedy extended far beyond that night: dubbed "the wreck of justice," the Bateau Mouche case became a landmark of impunity and corporate fraud in Brazil, with lawsuits, filled with twists and turns, continuing to this day.
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Episode 1
On December 31, 1988, around 150 passengers boarded the Bateau Mouche IV in Rio de Janeiro to watch the New Year's fireworks from the sea. Dressed in white and ready to celebrate, they barely noticed the warning signs around the boat. The group of businessmen, politicians, foreign tourists, journalists, famous artists, and their families sailed on to the rhythm of samba, unaware of the boat's serious safety issues. The festivities came to a sudden halt when the maritime police stopped the boat after noticing it was leaning to one side. Following a haphazard inspection, the Bateau Mouche IV was cleared and sped off toward Copacabana Beach. However, as it ventured into open water, the precarious boat encountered six-foot waves, sealing its tragic fate.





