According to Colombian authorities, the aircraft with the call sign CP2933 was coming from Bolivia with approximately 80 people on board and crashed while heading to José María Córdova International Airport. The airport is located in the city of Rionegro which is near the city of Medellín, Colombia.
Reports state there are survivors. CNN reported 6 people survived and have been treated at a local hospital.
An airplane with 72 people on board, including players from a Brazilian soccer team heading to Colombia for a regional tournament final, has crashed on its way to Medellin’s international airport.
Medellin’s Mayor Federico Gutierrez said that it is possible there are survivors.
“It’s a tragedy of huge proportions,” Gutierrez told Blu Radio on his way to the site in a mountainous area outside the city where the chartered aircraft is believed to have crashed shortly before midnight local time.
He said ambulances and rescuers were on their way. It is not clear what caused the crash.
Medellin’s airport confirmed that the aircraft, which departed from Bolivia, was transporting the Chapecoense soccer team from southern Brazil, which was scheduled to play the Copa Sudamerica finals against Atletico Nacional on Wednesday in Medellin.- AP
The cause of the crash is still unknown at this time. More to follow.
Featured image courtesy AP