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The son of a Brazilian Supreme Court justice says his father was a plane that crashed off the coast of a city in Rio de Janeiro state. The judge has played a key role in the investigation of a major corruption scandal that has rocked Brazil's government.

Francisco Prehn Zavascki wrote on his Facebook page Thursday that his father, Justice Teori Zavascki, was on a plane that crashed in heavy rain outside of Paraty.

The elder Zavascki's condition was unknown.

He wrote: "Friends, unfortunately my father was on the plane that crashed. Please pray for a miracle."

A Supreme Court spokesman confirmed that Zavascki was on the passenger list but didn't have more information.

Globo news cited firefighters saying three of the four people aboard the plane had died.