Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Dozens killed after plane carrying soccer team crashes in Colombia

By Courtney Barrow , AccuWeather staff writer
November 29,2016, 11:11:02PM,EST
 
 
A plane carrying 77 people went down as it approached Medellin, Colombia, late on Monday night.
Aboard the plane was the Brazilian Chapecoense football team. Heavy rain suspended rescue efforts shortly after the crash.
Local police confirmed 71 people aboard the plane died, leaving behind six survivors.
The plane reported an electrical failure shortly before it went down near 10 p.m.
The crash occurred in a mountainous region in Cerro Gordo, a municipality of La Union shortly before midnight. Due to poor visibility, the area can only be reached by land.
Brazilian soccer players
In this Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016, file photo, players of Brazil's Chapecoense celebrate at the end of a Copa Sudamericana semifinal soccer match against Argentina's San Lorenzo in Chapeco, Brazil. (AP Photo/Andre Penner, File)

The team was on its way to Medellin to play Atletico Nacional in the final for Copa Sudamericana.
While officials have been searching the area for survivors, rescue efforts have been suspended due to heavy rain near the crash sight. Rain and thunderstorms fell throughout Monday evening, but it is not yet clear if the weather played a factor in the crash.
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"Additional rain and thunderstorms are possible through the day on Tuesday although there will be breaks in the wet weather," AccuWeather Meteorologist Eric Leister said.
The plane was coming from Bolivia in preparation for the team's match on Wednesday. However in light of the crash, officials from the South American soccer federation said all soccer activities are suspended until further notice.
 
 
Estas serían las primeras imágenes del accidente aéreo en el municipio de La Unión, en minutos avance de @ChapecoenseReal
 

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