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29th Nov 2016

Plane carrying a Brazilian football team crashes in Colombia

Paul Moore

An emergency has been declared in Colombia.

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

Jose Maria Cordova de Rionegro airport, outside Medellin, said in a statement that “all possible aid was being mobilized because six survivors are being reported.”

The chartered plane, flying from Bolivia, was carrying members of the Chapecoense football team, airport officials said.

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

The first leg of the final of the cup was scheduled to take place this on Wednesday.

Nacional tweeted it “deeply regrets and is in solidarity with Chapecoense for the accident that occurred is awaiting for more information from the authorities.”

Reports say the plane, carrying 72 passengers and nine crew, crashed in a mountainous area outside the city shortly before midnight local time (05:00 GMT).

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