Brazil and the whole soccer world remained in grieving Tuesday after a chartered aircraft carrying a first-division Brazilian soccer team to a historic game knocked into a Colombian hillside, killing 71 of the 81 individuals aboard, authorities stated.
Authorities devalued the death toll from an earlier reported estimate of 75, as per ABC News, NBC News.
The 72 travelers consisted of members of Chapecoense, a Brazilian soccer group that evolved from relative obscurity to play among South America’s a lot of distinguished competitions. The team had been scheduled to attend in the Copa Sudamerica finals against Atletico Nacional on Wednesday in Medellin.
Twenty of the dead were reporters, and only one reported endured, the Associated Press reported.
“May God accompany our athletes, officials, reporters and other guests traveling with our delegation,” the club stated in a declaration after the crash Monday night. Juan Carlos de la Cuesta, president of Atletico Nacional, revealed solidarity with Chapecoense and asked for the team be considered tournament champion.
Chapecoense represents Chapeco, a southern city of around 200,000 more than 800 miles southwest of Rio de Janeiro. The reach star status was a Cinderella story that drew headings across the country. Less than a years earlier Chapecoense was stuck in the country’s “D” league, basically low minor leagues.
Over the last few years, it steadily rose through the ranks, reaching the top department of Brazilian soccer in 2014. Authorities stated over 20 journalists joined the group on the flight in anticipation of Wednesday’s game.
