Plane carrying football players from Brazil crashes in Colombia, 76 killed
A plane carrying 81 people, including football players from Brazil, has crashed in Colombia.
An airplane crash in Colombia has killed 76 people, the vast majority of the 81 passengers and crew who were on board the plane, the Colombian police said on Tuesday.
The plane was carrying players, coaches and staff from the Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense, as well as journalists set to covering the team's match in the Sudamericana final, South America's equivalent of the Europa League.
Medellin's airport confirmed that the aircraft, which departed from Bolivia, was transporting the Chapecoense soccer team from southern Brazil, which was scheduled to play the Copa Sudamerica finals against Atletico Nacional on Wednesday in Medellin.
Confirmado, la aeronave con matrícula CP2933 * transportaba al equipo @ChapecoenseReal. Al parecer hay sobrevivientes.
— José María Córdova (@AeropuertoMDE) November 29, 2016
Aviation authorities said the British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane, operated by a Bolivian charter airline named Lamia, declared an emergency at 10 PM (08:30 IST today) due to an electrical failure.
Authorities and rescuers were immediately activated but an air force helicopter had to turn back because of low visibility.
The aircraft, which made a stop in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, was transporting the first division Chapecoense soccer team from southern Brazil.
The team was scheduled to play tomorrow in the first of a two-game Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional of Medellin.
(Developing story - With agency inputs)
Live Blog
A plane carrying 81 people, including football players from Brazil, has crashed in Colombia.
Three players from Brazil soccer club among Colombia crash survivors- media
Three players from Brazilian soccer club Chapecoense were among survivors, Brazilian media reported.
TV channels Globonews and SporTV identified the players as defender Alan Ruschel, goalkeeper Danilo and reserve goalkeeper Jakson Follmann. It was not immediately possible to confirm the information.
The mayor of La Ceja, a nearby town, said on local radio, citing firefighters, that at least 25 people had been killed and around 10 survivors had been rescued after the crash late on Monday, but few official figures were yet available.
"Tonight it was reported that a plane coming from Viru Viru airport in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, which should have landed at Jose Maria Cordova, airport had gone off course," a Colombian rescue official, Mauricio Parodi, told reporters. (Reuters)
Six survivors in Brazilian football plane crash in Colombia: official
Medellin's Mayor Federico Gutierrez said that it is possible there are survivors.
"It's a tragedy of huge proportions," Gutierrez told Blu Radio on his way to the site in a mountainous area outside the city where the chartered aircraft is believed to have crashed shortly before midnight local time.
He said ambulances and rescuers were on their way. It is not clear what caused the crash. (PTI)