Brazilian Soccer Players Post Eerie Snaps Just Before Plane Crashes Killing 71
A Brazilian soccer team ended their season in a tragic way when their plane came crashing down last night.
The aircraft fell from the sky around 10:15 pm and killed 71 people.
The initial number of fatalities was higher, but Colombian aviation authorities adjusted the figure after confirming fewer people were onboard than first thought.
Among the initial survivors were three members of the Brazilian soccer team — Alan Ruschel, Danilo Padilha and Jackson Follmann — but Danilo, the team's goalkeeper, died soon after in the hospital.
Before their flight came to a horrific end in the remote mountains of Cerro Gordo, Colombia, Ruschel and Padilha took eerie Snapchats of themselves aboard the plane.
In the snaps, the players reportedly told their fans, "We're coming to Colombia."
Unfortunately, they never made it to their destination.
It's been reported the Avro RJ85 plane was en route to Medellin, Colombia, for an important game in the Copa Sudamerica tournament final.
Apparently, the team was in the middle of a "fairy tale" season before their plane was demolished in the mountains after leaving Bolivia.
According to The Guardian, the aircraft was suffering power failures mid-flight, and never landed properly after allegedly being given priority to land.
The plane reportedly broke in two after smashing into a hill just five minutes away from their destination.
Chilling, I know.
The surviving soccer players were taken from the wreckage in what appears to have been a difficult rescue mission.
Local radio stated foggy weather conditions made it difficult for rescuers to see more than a few feet in front of them.
Federico Gutierrez, Medellin's mayor, spoke with Blu Radio and said, "It's a tragedy of huge proportions."
In addition to Chapecoense team members, there were also a number of sports journalists and sports commenters on the nightmarish flight.
There were six reporters from FOX sports and three reporters from Brazil's main Globo TV channel.
The team members were allegedly told to board the damaged aircraft instead of taking a charter plane as they originally planned after the request was rejected by Brazil's civil aviation authority, Anac.
Citations: The Guardian, MailOnline
