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At least 5 survive plane crash over Colombia, including 3 Chapecoense footballers
1:32 CAT | 29 Nov 2016
Reuters / Brazilian soccer player Alan Luciano Ruschel of Chapecoense soccer club receives medical attention after a plane crash in Antioquia, central Colombia November 29, 2016.
At least five people have survived a plane crash over a mountainous area of Colombia, officials say. 81 passengers and crew were on board the aircraft when it came down at around 10pm local time.
Three players from Brazil’s Chapecoense football team are confirmed to be among those taken to hospital for treatment. Two crew members and a journalist were also initially reported to have survived,
but one person succumbed to their injuries shortly after being rescued.
Regional Police Commader, Jose Gerardo Acevedo, told journalists:
“Six people were rescued alive, but unfortunately one died. The rest of the occupants unfortunately died. The tragic toll is 76 victims.”
In total, 22 players, 28 companions, 22 journalists and nine crew members are believed to have been on board.
The plane crashed some 30 kilometres from Medellin, where it was due to land. The cause of the crash is unknown.
Poor weather has made the crash site difficult to reach and rescuers are having to make the journey by road, authorities say.
Local mayor, Federico Gutierrez said: “It’s very sad news. We express solidarity, of course, with their families, with their friends, with their country… Here, we continue to manage everything. It’s very sad, it’s tragic.”
The Chapecoense squad was travelling from Brazil via Bolivia for the first leg of the final of the Copa Sudamericana – the South American equivalent of the Europa League tournament. The match was scheduled for Wednesday (November 30) against local Medellin team Atletico Nacional.
Both the game and the competition have now been cancelled.
The top league club said it would not be making any official comments until it had more information from Colombian authorities.
What we know, what’s confirmed
A plane carrying 81 people including crew took off from Santa Cruz, Bolivia at 22:18 UTC flying to Medellin, Colombia. The plane was operated by LAMIA Bolivia and was a British Aerospace Avro RJ85, reg. CP-2933. The aircraft first flew in 1999.
At 02:55 UTC time flight tracking data lost the plane’s signal.
The plane was also carrying Brazilian football team Chapecoense, who were due to play against Atletico Nacional from Colombia in the final of the South American Cup.
Tournament organiser Conmebol has suspended all of its activities in light of the plane crash.
So far, only five of the 81 people on board are confirmed alive.
They are: Football players: Marcos Danilo, goalkeeper, Alan Ruschel, defender, Jackson Follman, backup goalkeeper, flight stewardess Ximena Suárez and passenger Rafael Gobbato.
Earlier reports said a six person had also survived the plane crash, bringing the death toll to 75. But one of the survivors died of their injuries in hospital.
Colombian authorities have now confirmed these five are the only ones to have survived the crash.
The exact cause of the plane crash has not officially been determined. Elkin Ospina, the mayor of the town La Ceja, located not far from the crash site, told French news agency AFP the plane crashed because it had run out of fuel.
The city of Medellin has activated its emergency response team to help with the rescue efforts. In an interview with local radio station Blu Radio, Ivan Vieira, head of Medellin’s support group, said the plane crashed in Cerro Gordo.
In a separate interview with the same radio station, civil aeronautics director, Alfredo Bocanegra said the plane did report an emergency before crashing:
“An emergency upon arrival was reported, was given priority landing but then contact was lost,” said Bocanegra.
Flight tracking data shows the plane started losing speed and altitude within the ten minutes between 02h30 and 02h40.
For roughly 10 minutes the plane stabilised just above 20,000 feet (6,000 metres) before quickly hitting the ground.
Brazil’s President Michel Temer expressed his grief for the victims and their families. He said the country’s foreign ministry is working to assist relatives.
“I express my solidarity in this sad hour during which tragedy has beset dozens of Brazilian families,” Temer said in a statement. “The government will do all it can to alleviate the pain of the friends and family of sport and national journalism.”
Source: Euronews
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