Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock(MEDELLIN, Colombia) — An official investigation has begun into a plane crash involving 72 passengers and nine crew members, including members of a Brazilian club soccer team, that took place near Jose Maria Cordova International Airport in Medellin, Colombia just before 10 p.m. Monday night.
Colombian national police confirmed six survivors.
The plane, charter flight CP2933 operated by LaMia airline, was due to arrive in Medellin from Bolivia, the airport’s official Twitter account confirmed, adding that the plane suffered an electrical failure before the accident.
The team, Chapecoense, was due to play against Medellin’s Atletico Nacional in the finals of the Copa Sudamericana on Wednesday, local media reported.
Aerocivil, Colombia’s civil aviation authority, confirmed the accident and said that the first steps of an official investigation have begun.
Alfredo Bocanegra, Director @AerocivilCol lidera el PMU instalado en Rionegro por accidente de aeronave en Antioquia. pic.twitter.com/4dwoxuCRiq
— AERONÁUTICA CIVIL (@AerocivilCol) November 29, 2016
The accident took place near the town of La Unión, in the mountainous department of Antioquia.
Aerocivil published a list of the names of passengers and crew on board the plane to its Twitter account.
Aerocivil publica el listado de pasajeros del vuelo de Lamia CP 2933 que transportaba delegación deportiva https://t.co/kHymbYbYai pic.twitter.com/3kXwEvV0B0
— AERONÁUTICA CIVIL (@AerocivilCol) November 29, 2016
The South American Football Confederation said in a statement that it “greatly regrets” the accident and added that all of its activities will be suspended until further notice.
Airport officials say that the accident site can only be accessed by ground transportation because of the weather conditions.
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