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 was carrying members of the Chapecoense football team.
The team was due to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana, against Medellin team Atletico Nacional. The accident happened in an area called Cerro El Gordo near Medellin, the department said.
The plane declared an emergency between the municipalities of La Ceja and La Union, according to a statement from Colombian aviation officials.The civil aviation agency announced that six passengers — three players, two crew members, and one journalist — survived the crash.Satellite images show that scattered showers and thunderstorms have been present in the region over the last 12 hours — though no big weather makers, according to CNN meteorologist Michael Guy.
There likely would have been turbulence in the region due to intermittent thunderstorms and winds from around the mountains in the region, Guy says. A statement from nearby Jose Maria Cordova airport says the accident site can only be accessed by land because of weather conditions.The Colombian Air Force had to abort a mission to the accident site due to inclement weather, according to Colombian officials.