Brazilian Soccer Team Plane Crash :“We are so sorry to hear about the aeroplane crash in Colombia, it is shocking and tragic news. At this difficult time our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino, it is a “very, very sad day for football”.
“This morning I said goodbye to them and they told me they were going after the dream, turning that dream into reality,” a Chapecoense board member told TV Globo. “The dream was over early this morning.”
Tragedy strikes as 71 people on board an ill-fated flight carrying players and staff from the Chapecoense Club crashes in the mountains of Colombia die. There were a total of 77 people on board, including sports journalists and crew members along with the entire Chapecoense Club Football team, with 6 just survivors making it one of the deadliest crashes in recent history. Four other people listed on the flight manifest did not board the plane. Twenty-one of the passengers were journalists, of whom just one survived.The flight was on its way to Medellin for a two-game Copa Sudamericana final.
Brazilian Soccer Team Plane Crash : The Cause of Crash
Speculations are that a possible electrical failure caused the air disaster. While England’s Mirror newspaper claims the pilot dumped fuel in the final moments as the tragedy struck, to avoid a huge explosion. Two black boxes in perfect condition have been recovered from the crash site. This may lead to the truth behind the reason as to why the plane crashed.
Brazilian Soccer Team Plane Crash : The Survivors
Flight No. LMI 2933 crashed on impact and split into two sections at 10:15pm local time on 29th November 2016. Perfidious weather conditions hindered the rescue operation as ambulances struggled to reach the remote crash site. Survivors had to be carried on stretchers down a mountain slope, before being taken to hospital by ambulance.
The first survivor to arrive at hospital was 27-year-old fullback Alan Ruschel, who is currently in intensive care with a spinal fracture.
Reserve goalkeeper Jakson Follmann is in hospital, and has reportedly had one his legs amputated this morning and is in a critical condition.
Female flight attendant Ximena Suarez, journalist Rafael Henzel and technician Erwin Tumiri have also been named as survivors.
Goalkeeper Marcos Danilo lived through the impact, but died in hospital after making a heart wrenching call to his wife.
Brazilian Soccer Team Plane Crash :The Dream Vanished
Brazilian President Michel Temer has declared three days of official mourning.
Crowds have gathered in Chapeco, the club’s home town, as heartbroken fans struggle to come to terms with the enormous loss.The Cinderella team joined Brazil’s first division in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s. It made it to the Copa Sudamericana finals after defeating two of Argentina’s most fierce teams.
“This is unbelievable, I am walking on the grass of the stadium and I feel like I am floating,” an emotional Chapecoense spokesman Andrei Copetti said and further added “No one understands how a story that was so amazing could suffer such a devastating reversal. For many people here reality has still not struck.”
Brazilian Soccer Team Plane Crash : Tributes Pour In
- “Brazilian football is in mourning. It is such a tragic loss. My sincere condolences to the families of the deceased. Rest in peace.”
– Pele, Brazilian football legend
- “Shocked by the tragedy that happened to Chapecoense Real. Solidarity with the families and friends of all the victims. A hug for the club and for all Brazilian football.”
– Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid star
- “It is impossible to believe this tragedy, impossible to believe it happened, impossible to believe that the plane crashed, impossible to believe that athletes, humans were on that plane, impossible to believe that these people left their families.”
– Neymar, Barcelona and Brazil striker
- “My deepest condolences to all the families, friends and fans of Chapecoense.”
– Lionel Messi, Argentina and Barcelona striker
- “Sadly those lads, who were on the way to becoming a force in football, took the wrong plane.”
– Diego Maradona, Argentine great
- “This is a very, very sad day for football. At this difficult time our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends. FIFA would like to extend its most heartfelt condolences to the fans of Chapecoense, the football community and media organizations concerned in Brazil.”
– Gianni Infantino, FIFA President
- “Pray for my teammates please.”
– Alejandro Martinuccio, Chapecoense striker who missed the trip due to injury
- “Our thoughts are with Chapecoense and everyone affected by this tragedy and their families. We are speechless.”
– Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid captain
- “Deeply affected by Medellin’s plane crash. I shared locker with Cleber Santana and it’s difficult to reveal how I feel. A huge hug.”
– David De Gea, Manchester United goalkeeper who played with Santana at Atletico Madrid
- “My prayers and my solidarity for the survivors, families and friends of Chapecoense in this sad time.”
– Colombian striker Radamel Falcao
- “We are deeply shaken by the accident concerning the club of our old player Cleber Santana. Our condolences to the families. Rest in Peace.”
– Atletico Madrid, whose former player Santana was club captain at Chapecoense
- “The thoughts of everyone at Manchester United are with Chapecoense and all those affected by the tragedy in Colombia.”
– Manchester United, who lost eight players in February 1958 as their plane crashed on take off from Munich airport
- “Real Madrid expresses its sorrow at the tragic air crash involving the Brazilian club Chapecoense and extends its condolences to relatives and friends of the victims. At the same time, wishing an early recovery for the survivors.”
– Real Madrid
- “All our support and solidarity is with the victims and the families affected by the Chapecoense Real tragedy in Colombia.”
– FC Barcelona
Brazilian Soccer Team Plane Crash Six Survive the Flight of Horror: The Route
