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News > Sport

Soccer World Reacts to Chapecoense FC Plane Crash

  • Brazilian soccer player Alan Luciano Ruschel was one of 3 Chapecoense soccer club players to survive the plane crash in Antioquia, Colombia.

    Brazilian soccer player Alan Luciano Ruschel was one of 3 Chapecoense soccer club players to survive the plane crash in Antioquia, Colombia. | Photo: Reuters

Published 29 November 2016
Opinion

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester are among the teams and players world wide expressing sadness, solidarity following the fatal crash.

The soccer world is reacting with shock and sadness to the news of a tragic plane crash Monday night which claimed the lives of 71 people, including more than a dozen players from Brazil's Chapecoense soccer team.

Colombian police have confirmed 5 people survived the crash, including defenders Alan Ruschel and Helio Zampier Neto.

Spanish soccer giants Barcelona, who also held a minute of silence before practice Tuesday, took to social media to express their grief while Brazil star Neymar also shared his own personal message on his Twitter account.

"Real Madrid C.F. 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 also held a moment of silence, releasing a brief statement to extend condolences.

"Real Madrid C.F. 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."

In England, Manchester United was among the clubs sending messages of support to the club and the families of the players.

The aircraft left from Bolivia and was destined for Medellin, where the team would face the Atletico Nacional of Medellin in the first leg of Wednesday’s Sudamericana final, South America’s equivalent of the Europa League.

The Chapecoense football team was among the 72 passengers and 9 crew on board the charter aircraft when it crashed around 10:15 p.m. local time on Monday.

This would have been the first time the small club from Chapeco had ever reached the final of a major South American club competition, but they were underdogs against a club going for a rare double after winning the Copa Libertadores in July.

Other stars from world soccer also sent their messages of sorrow and support, including Colombian striker Radamel Falcao and Porto FC keeper Iker Casillas, who said the tragedy represented a "difficult moment for football."

Weather conditions made it hard for rescuers to access the crash zone during the night, so rescue efforts were suspended until morning. Over 150 people so far make up the search and rescue team, including national police, Colombian air force members and the red cross.

It is unclear if all survivors have been admitted to hospital.

"Tonight it was reported that a plane coming from Viru Viru airport in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, which should have landed at Jose Maria Cordova, airport had gone off course," a Colombian rescue official, Mauricio Parodi, told reporters.

So far, no cause for the crash has been identified, though there are unconfirmed suggestions the plane had run out of fuel.

Chapecoense are the 21st biggest club in Brazil in terms of revenue, bringing in 46 million reais ($13.5 million) in 2015, according to an annual rich list compiled by Brazilian bank Itau BBA.


by teleSUR / PV
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