The international soccer community was in mourning Tuesday after a charter plane carrying the Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense slammed into the side of the Andes mountains in Colombia.
The Associated Press reports that 71 of the 77 people on board — including the players, coaches, invited guests and 21 journalists — died.
Colombian authorities say three players, two crew members and one journalist survived the crash.
Chapecoense, a first division professional club team in Brazil, was en route to the Colombian city of Medellin. They were scheduled to face Atletico Nacional in the first leg of the South American Cup Finals Wednesday.
CNN reports that the flight declared an emergency and lost radio contact near Medellin right before 10 p.m. local time on Monday. Rescue teams arrived at the crash scene by 10:30 p.m. Electrical failure, heavy rainfall, and low fuel have been considered as possible causes but none have been officially confirmed by investigators.
Brazilian president Michel Temer declared three days of national mourning in response to the tragedy.
Atletico Nacional has offered the championship title to the Brazilian club’s organization as a “posthumous homage to the victims,” according to the New York Times.
Members of the University of Portland men’s soccer team joined many worldwide in expressing solidarity to those affected by the crash on social media.
Our Thoughts and Prayers go out to everyone affected but the Chapecoense air tragedy... pic.twitter.com/Ipu2etWWJe
— UP Men's Soccer (@UPMensSoccer) November 29, 2016
A remembrance will be held for the victims Wednesday at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellin where the Brazilian club was due to play the championship match.
