One of Brazil’s most talented and exciting soccer teams has been virtually exterminated after a plane carrying the team to its first major cup final crashed in Colombia.
The entire Chapecoense soccer team from southern Brazil were among the 81 passengers and crew on board.
Colombian police have said there were six survivors of the crash.
Coaches, support staff, and Brazilian sports journalists were also on board the plane.
The names of some survivors have already emerged and these include players Helio Hermito Zampier Neto, defender Alan Ruschel, and reserve goalkeeper Jakson Follmann. Some reports said they were sitting next to each other on the plane. They have been taken to a hospital in La Ceja, 90 minutes from Medellin.
Sports journalist Rafael Henzel and crew member Ximena Suarez have also been named as survivors.
Goalkeeper Marcos Danilo was pulled form the wreckage alive but later died at a hospital.
