Brazil’s biggest sports fans are in mourning today after officials confirmed 71 people, including several of Brazil’s top football (soccer) players and journalists, were killed during a tragic plane crash near Medellin, Colombia.
The chartered British Aerospace 146 short-haul aircraft was travelling from Santa Cruz, Bolivia to Colombia when it went down at around 10.00pm (local time).
Medellin Airport officials said LMI2933 crew contacted ground staff as it approached the gateway to request an emergency landing after experiencing electrical problems, but the plane didn’t make the runway and instead crashed into the Colombian hillside minutes later.
Image: @AerocivilCol/Twitter
Emergency crews were called to the scene, but their efforts were hampered by a lack of light and rainy weather conditions.
Initially 75 people were believed to have been killed in crash, that death toll was later lowered when it was confirmed that four of the names on the passenger list had not boarded the aircraft, Fox Sports reported.
Seven people, including several football players, a stewardess and a journalist, were retrieved from the wreckage alive, however, officials have since confirmed that one of the survivors, 31-year-old Brazilian footballer Danilo Padilha, died at the hospital from severe injuries.
The chartered plane was carrying Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense to play the Medellin team in the final of a major South American club competition – the first time the small club had made the final.
Around 22 players are believed to have been on the aircraft along with coaches and invited guests such as 21 journalists who were to cover the big event.
The entire football community in South America has entered a three-day mourning period, which will include the cancellation of all games around the continent.
