November 29 – A chartered plane carrying 81 people, including top-flight Brazilian team Chapecoense, has crashed on its approach to the city of Medellin in Colombia, seemingly after an electrical failure.
The aircraft was transporting the Chapecoense players to play in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final – the equivalent of the Europa league and South America’s second most important club cup competition – against Atletico Nacional of Medellin.
Aviation authorities said there were reports of at least six survivors, possibly including at least two members of the team, but the local mayor described the crash as “a tragedy of huge proportions.”
The team, from the southern city of Chapeco, were promoted to Brazil’s top division in 2014 and reached the Copa Sudamericana final last week after beating Argentina’s San Lorenzo.
The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) said it was suspending “all activities” in the aftermath of the accident.
CONMEBOL said in a statement that its president, Alejandro Dominguez, was on his way to the crash site. “The CONMEBOL family greatly regrets what happened. All activities of the confederation are suspended until further notice,” it said.
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