Plane carrying Brazilian team crashes

A plane carrying members of a Brazilian football team has crashed in Colombia.

The chartered aircraft, which was flying from Bolivia, was carrying members of the Chapecoense football team when it crashed on its approach to the City of Medellin, officials have confirmed.

The Serie A side were scheduled to play in the Copa Sudamerica finals against Atletico National in Medellin on Wednesday.

Early reports claim the plane came down in a mountainous area, about 50 miles from Medelin, after reporting an electrical fault to the control tower.

Medellin's international airport has revealed on its Twitter account that there were 72 passengers and nine crew members aboard with Colombia police confirming that six people survived the crash.

Aeronautica Civil named survivors as footballers Alan Luciano Ruschel, Jackson Ragnar Follmann, Helio Zemper and Marcos Danilo Padilha, crew members Ximena Suarez and Erwin Timuri and journalist Rafael Hensel. However,Danilo succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

"The site of the accident is only accessible by land due to climatic conditions and low visibility," a statement from the airport said.

"The Colombian Air Force deployed a search and rescue helicopter which had to cancel the mission due to the adverse conditions.

"According to the authorities the police are mobilising all possible help since they are reporting six survivors."

A brief statement from Chapecoense read: "May God be with our athletes, officials, journalists and other guests travelling with our delegation."

The South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) has suspended all activities in the wake of the tragedy.

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

Brazil's president Michel Temer has declared three days of mourning, stating: "In this sad hour as tragedy falls on dozens of Brazilian families, I express my solidarity.

"We are doing all we can to help family and give all possible assistance.

"The government will do all it can to alleviate the pain of friends and family in sport and national journalism."

Chapecoense joined Brazil's first division in 2014 and qualified for the Copa Sudamericana finals last week by defeating Argentina’s San Lorenzo.

Colombian team Atletico Nacional have asked that Chapecoense be declared champions, while Brazilian first division teams have offered to loan players to the club free of charge and have asked the league to provide them with an three-year exemption from relegation.

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