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sergeant found dead after escaping bee swarm

the case that shocked Tangará da Serra

Daniele Morais
October 14, 2026 · 2 min read
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sergeant found dead after escaping bee swarm
Photo: "RETOMADA 01" by Pablo Albarenga is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.

Sergeant Arnaldo Pereira dos Santos was found dead on Wednesday morning after more than 20 hours of searches in the woods of Cabeceira do Formoso, in Tangará da Serra (MT). The episode began when the group tried to escape from a bee swarm and ended up getting lost in difficult-to-access terrain.

Disappearance amid bees

According to the Military Police, the sergeant and two other people went missing after being surprised by a bee swarm. In an attempt to flee, the three ran into a wooded area and ended up getting lost.

Joint search operation

The searches were initiated by the 19th Military Police Battalion as soon as the disappearance was reported. The Fire Department and the Integrated Air Operations Center (Ciopaer) were called in to reinforce the efforts in a hard-to-reach area.

Search results

On April 13, the first person was located and rescued in the late afternoon. The second was found around 11 p.m. on the same day. Both received medical care and were taken to the Tangará da Serra Emergency Care Unit (UPA).

On the morning of April 14, the sergeant was found lifeless. The cause of death is still under investigation.

Military Police reaction

The corporation lamented the sergeant's death and expressed solidarity with family members, friends, and fellow officers. In a statement, the Military Police thanked the support of the Fire Department, Ciopaer, local farm owners and workers, and the volunteers who assisted in the searches.

Sergeant profile

Arnaldo Pereira dos Santos was a native of Cuiabá, joined the military career in November 2004, and accumulated nearly 22 years of service in the Mato Grosso Military Police. At the time, he was stationed at the 12th Independent Military Police Company in Barra do Bugres, linked to the 7th Regional Command.

Words from the commander-general

The commander-general of the Military Police, Colonel Cláudio Fernando Carneiro Tinoco, mourned the loss of the sergeant and expressed solidarity with his family and fellow officers.

With information from G1, Primeira Página, Gazeta Digital.

Source: G1, Primeira Página, Gazeta Digital

#military police#Mato Grosso#search operation#Tangará da Serra#bee swarm
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