71 Killed After Plane Carrying Brazilian Soccer Team Crashes in Colombia
The chartered aircraft was carrying many of the country's elite players when it went down late Monday.
Brazil is in mourning Tuesday after a plane carrying a soccer team crashed in Colombia overnight, killing 71.
The chartered aircraft carrying the Chapecoense Real, a first division team, departed from Bolivia en route to a regional tournament when it went down in Cerro Gordo at about 10 p.m. Monday.
Read: Recently Engaged Woman and Dad of 3 Among 4 Victims Killed in Air Ambulance Plane Crash
The plane was carrying 77 passengers and crewmembers. Six people survived, authorities said as they revised numbers on Tuesday afternoon.
The British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane reportedly declared an emergency and lost radar contact because of an electrical failure, aviation authorities said.
VÍDEO FEITO DENTRO DO AVIÃO ANTES DE SAIR DO BRASIL POR UM DOS ATLETAS!! #ForcaChapecoense #ForcaChape #Chapecoence pic.twitter.com/PMNIGYHnhj
November 29, 2016
Dozens of rescuers worked through the night but their efforts were hampered by punishing rain and low visibility. The rescue mission has since become a search for bodies.
Local media broadcasts showed three passengers arriving to a hospital on stretchers. Among them was a Chapecoense defender named Alan Ruschel, who reportedly suffered spinal injuries.
Goalkeepers Marcos Danilo Padilha and Jackson Follmann survived as well, as did a Bolivian flight attendant and a member of the team's delegation. But Danilo Padilha later died during treatment.
As news of the unthinkable tragedy has spread, Brazilian fans and the larger soccer world have paused to grieve.
Fans of the southern Brazilian team came together outside their home stadium in the city of Chapecó to share in their sadness and honor the dead.
Hundreds of Chapecoense fans outside of their stadium today.
November 29, 2016
Heart-breaking.
(via @folha)pic.twitter.com/mT3D1NVPLz
And teams as far away as the U.K. took to social media to send condolences to the small Brazilian city and their beloved home team.
"The thoughts of everyone at Manchester United are with @ChapecoenseReal & all those affected by the tragedy in Colombia," read a tweet from Manchester United.
Just two years ago, Chapecoense Real entered Brazil's first division for the first time since the 1970s and had been enjoying a banner season.
The thoughts of everyone at Manchester United are with @ChapecoenseReal & all those affected by the tragedy in Colombia.#ForçaChapecoense pic.twitter.com/EUjAnJQkaB
November 29, 2016
They were en route to a regional championship after defeating two top teams from Argentina and a club from Colombia when their dreams abruptly turned into a nation's nightmare.
Read: 5 Dead in Hawaii Skydiving Tour Plane Crash; Officials Working to Determine Cause
South America's soccer federation extended its condolences to the Chapecoense community and announced in a statement that all soccer activities were suspended until further notice.
"Chapecoense was the biggest source of happiness in the town," the club’s vice-president, Ivan Tozzo, told Brazil’s SporTV. "Many in the town are crying."
Watch: Aircraft Seen Mysteriously Hovering Around Denver Airport Causes Concern
Trending on Inside Edition

Oregon Woman Reports Having Acid Thrown at Her 3 Times Since March: Police
Crime
4 Federally Charged in San Antonio Migrant Smuggling Case as Death Toll Rises to 53
Crime
Amazon and Some Drug Stores Ration Emergency Contraceptives, Including Plan B, After Seeing Increased Demand
Health
How to Stay Safe This July 4th Amid Steep Rise in Injuries Caused by Fireworks
Investigative
83-Year-Old Believed to Be Oldest Woman to Complete a 'Tough Mudder' Race
Inspirational