Around 81 people, including some of Brazil’s top football (soccer) players, were on board a charter plane, which crashed near the city of Medellin in Colombia.
The British Aerospace 146 short-haul aircraft was en-route from Bolivia when it experienced electrical problems and crashed in Cerro Gordo in the municipality of La Union, BBC reported.
Twenty two members of the Brazilian football team, Chapecoense, are believed to have been travelling on the aircraft to Colombia to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana (South American Cup) against Medellin team Atletico Nacional.
Officials are yet to confirm reports of six survivors, including midfield player Alan Ruschel who is said to have arrived at a hospital.
Radio Colombia: Chapecoense player Alan Ruschel is among the survivors. (via @Cynegeticus) #football #Chapecoense pic.twitter.com/c0FEL1Xaff
— Photos of Football (@photosofootball) November 29, 2016
In a statement, Colombia’s Jose Maria Cordova International Airport said police are on site and are attempting mobilising as much help as possible.
“According to the authorities, national police arrived at the site and is mobilising all possible help, since they report that six people have survived.”
Jose Maria Cordova International Airport
Medellin’s Mayor Federico Gutierrez commented on crash, saying it’s “a tragedy of huge proportions”.
This page will be updated as more news comes to hand.
