Only five passengers have survived when a plane crashed on the way to Colombia.
Seventy-six passengers were dead and only five have survived when a plane crashed on its way to Colombia.
According to the report, 81 people, including Brazilian football team Chapecoense, were on board the chartered aircraft when it crashed on its way to Medellin’s international airport.
In a statement, aviation authorities said that the plane was carrying 72 passengers and nine crew members.
The Brazilian first division soccer team from southern Brazil was heading to Colombia for a regional tournament final on Wednesday.
Earlier, aviation authorities said there were at least six survivors, however, Colombian police later reported 76 had died and five survived after one of the six passengers died after they were rescued.
“It’s a tragedy of huge proportions,” Medellin Mayor Federico Gutierrez said while he is on his way to the site in a mountainous area outside the city where aircraft crashed.
According to the aviation authorities, the British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane, operated by a Bolivian charter airline named Lamia, declared an emergency at 10 pm Monday (0300 GMT) due to an electrical failure.
Immediately, the authorities and rescuers were activated but an air force helicopter had to return because of low visibility in the area.
The area has been hit by heavy rains in recent days.
Before flying to Colombia, the aircraft made a stop in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Reports said that the team was scheduled to play on Wednesday in the first of a two-game Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional of Medellin.
The first leg of the final of the football cup which is South America’s second most important club competition, was scheduled for Wednesday, but has now been suspended.
The South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) said it was suspending “all activities”.
In a brief statement, Chapecoense said: “May God be with our athletes, officials, journalists and other guests travelling with our delegation.”
However, it would refrain from any further statements until it had assessed the extent of the crash.
Based on local radio reports, the same aircraft transported Argentina’s national squad for a match earlier this month in Brazil, and previously had transported Venezuela’s national team.