Among the passengers were players from Brazilian football team Chapocoense, heading to a regional tournament final.
BOGOTA, November 29 (Reuters) - Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense, heading for the biggest game in their history, were on board a plane carrying 81 people that crashed in Colombia killing 76 people, police said on Tuesday.
Chapecoense, from Brazil's top league, had been flying to face Atletico Nacional of Medellin in the first leg of Wednesday's Sudamericana final, South America’s equivalent of the Europa League.
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An Avro RJ85 operated by Lamia which crashed on approach to Medellin while carrying 81 passengers and crew including Brazilian football team Chapecoense is seen in a file picture taken in Norwich, Britain on September 25, 2015. Only 5 people are known to have survived the crash. REUTERS/Matt Varley NO ARCHIVES. NO SALES. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.[/caption]
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Brazilian soccer player Alan Luciano Ruschel of Chapecoense soccer club receives medical attention after a plane crash in Antioquia, central Colombia November 29, 2016. REUTERS/Guillermo Ossa/EL TIEMPO[/caption]
It was the first time the small club from Chapeco had reached the final of a major South American club competition. Three players were among the survivors, Colombian disaster authorities said.
"Six people were rescued alive, but unfortunately one died. The rest of the occupants unfortunately died. The tragic toll is 76 victims," Jose Gerardo Acevedo, regional police commander, told journalists.
The plane crashed in a mountainous rural area outside of the city of Medellin and heavy rains at one point halted rescue operations. News showed photos of twisted wreckage and hospital staff awaiting patients.
The club said in a statement that it would not be making any official comments until it had more information from Colombian authorities about Monday night's crash.
Flight tracking service Flightradar24 said on Twitter the last tracking signal from flight 2933 had been received when it was at 15,500 feet, about 30 km from its destination, which sits at an altitude of 7,000 feet.
The Avro RJ85 was produced by a company that is now part of UK's BAE Systems
The charter flight was carrying 72 passengers and nine crew, when it crashed around 10:15 p.m. on Monday. Heavy rain first hampered and then halted rescue operations. Officials told local media that bodies would be removed at first light.
Brazilian news organizations reported 21 journalists had been on board to cover the match.
TRIBUTES
The crash evoked memories of Munich air disaster in 1958, which killed 23 people including eight Manchester United players, journalists and travelling officials.
Players Alan Luciano Ruschel, Marcos Danilo Padilha and Jacson Ragnar Follmann were listed as survivors in a statement from the disaster management agency.
Chapecoense qualified for the biggest game in their history after overcoming Argentine club San Lorenzo in the semi-final on away goals following a 1-1 draw in Buenos Aires and a 0-0 draw at home.
They were very much the underdogs for the match against a club going for a rare double after winning the Copa Libertadores in July.
Chapecoense were the 21st biggest club in Brazil in terms of revenue, bringing in 46 million reais ($13.5 million) in 2015, according to an annual rich list compiled by Brazilian bank Itau BBA.
The club has built its success on a frugal spending policy that eschewed big money signings and instead concentrated on blending young talent and experienced journeymen.
Their best-known player was Cleber Santana, a midfielder who best years were spent in Spain with Athletico Madrid and Mallorca. Coach Caio Junior was also experienced, having managed at some of Brazil’s biggest clubs, Botafogo, Flamengo and Palmeiras among them
The crash prompted an outpouring of solidarity and grief on social media from the footballing community, with Brazilian top flight teams Flamengo and Santo tweeting messages of support.
Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas tweeted: “My condolences for the plane accident that carried @ChapecoenseReal. Tough moment for football. Good luck and stay strong!”
The South American football federation suspended all games and other activities following the crash.
Colombia plane crash brings back memories of previous football air crash disasters
A chartered plane carrying Brazilian football club Chapecoense crashed in Medellin, Colombia. The extent of disaster remains unknown.
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Manchester United lost eight members of their squad in the Munich air crash.[/caption]
In the light of the plane crash in Medellin, Colombia with members of the Brazilian football club Chapecoense Real on-board, it has brought to life bad memories of previous crashes involving football teams. The Indian Express takes a look at the most notable ones:
Manchester United team in Munich
The most notable and memorable example of a football team having its course changed and history affected is that involving Manchester United. The plane crashed in Munich while trying to take off from slush covered runway. The crash happened in 1958 with 23 people dying. Manchester United’s side nicknamed “The Busby Babes” were travelling from Belgrade, Yugoslavia, after playing Red Star Belgrade, to Manchester, England, after stopping in Munich for refueling. The Manchester United team lost eight of its members from the 1957-58 squad. The incident came to be popularly known as the “Munich air disaster.” The tragedy is memorialized by a plaque hanging at the club’s Old Trafford stadium.
Zambian national team
The entire Zambian national team—18 players and 5 team officials—died on April 28, 1993. The team was on its way to Dakar to play Senegal in a World Cup qualifier. The plane crashed into the Atlantic just off the coast of Libreville, Gabon. An investigation concluded the cause of the crash was pilot error. The official investigation further added that the pilot had shut down the wrong engine after a fire. Additionally, the investigation found that pilot fatigue and an instrument error had contributed to the accident. The accident is recreated and the story captured in the 2014 Spanish/Zambian documentary ‘Eighteam’.
Torino football team in Turin
After playing a friendly match against Benfica in Lisbon, Portugal, Italian football club Torino’s players were returning home to Turin when the plane crashed into a wall on May 4, 1949. The cause for the crash is believed to low visibility that resulted in the plane crashing into the retaining wall at the back of the Basilica of Superga. The incident came to be known as the Superga air disaster with the entire team wiped out including staff and journalists travelling with the team. The accident affected the Italian football team adversely too with many of the players called up to the national side.
