PLANE CARRYING FOOTBALL TEAM CRASHES

Date:

A plane carrying 81 people, including a top Brazilian football team, has crashed on its approach to the city of Medellin in Colombia.

Police say five people survived the crash but the rest of those on board died.

The chartered aircraft, flying from Brazil via Bolivia, was carrying members of the Chapecoense team.

The team was due to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana, against Medellin team Atletico Nacional.

The first leg of the final of the cup, South America’s second most important club competition, was scheduled for Wednesday, but has now been suspended.

The match was seen as the biggest in the history of the relatively small club, which entered Brazil’s top division for the first time in 2014.

The South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) said it was suspending “all activities”

Chapecoense issued a brief statement saying: “May God be with our athletes, officials, journalists and other guests travelling with our delegation.”

It said it would refrain from any further statements until it had assessed the extent of the crash.

Later the team’s vice-president, Ivan Tozzo, told cable channal SporTV: “There are a lot of people crying in our city. We could never imagine this. Chapecoense is the biggest reason for joy here.”

One of the survivors was confirmed as Chapecoense defender Alan Ruschel.

Reports suggest that at least two other footballers – goalkeepers Jackson Follman and Marcos Danilo – may have survived.

Originally six survivors were reported, but police later said one of those rescued had died.

The sports network Telemundo Deportes tweeted (in Spanish) that Ruschel was in shock but conscious and talking, and asked to keep his wedding ring and to see his family.

His wife told Globo TV: “Thank God Alan is in the hospital. He’s in a stable condition.”

The team, from the southern city of Chapeco, was promoted to Brazil’s first division in 2014 and reached the final last week after a victory against Argentina’s San Lorenzo.

Medellin’s Mayor Federico Gutierrez described it as “a tragedy of huge proportions”.

Conmebol said in a statement that its president, Alejandro Dominguez, was on his way to Medellin.

“The Conmebol family greatly regrets what happened. All activities of the confederation are suspended until further notice,” it said.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share post:

spot_imgspot_img

Popular

More like this
Related

U.S Reduces Visa Duration For Nigerians From Five Years To Three Months

The U.S. Department of State has reversed its five-year...

Breaking: FG Pegs Admission Age At 16

The federal government has officially pegged entry admission year...

ASUU Orders Members To Begin Nationwide Strike

The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities,...

Student Visa Applicants Must Disclose Social Media Accounts – U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria has announced that all...