Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Footage shows the devastation following the crash near Medellin in Colombia

A plane carrying 77 people, including a top Brazilian football team, has crashed on its approach to the city of Medellin in Colombia.

Colombia's civil aviation body says only six people survived the crash, blamed on an electrical fault.

The chartered aircraft, flying from Brazil via Bolivia, was carrying members of the Chapecoense team.

The team had been due to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana, against Medellin team Atletico Nacional.

Organisers say Atletico Nacional has asked for Chapecoense to be awarded the cup. Brazilian clubs have offered to lend players to them for free for the next year.

Colombian aviation officials said there were 21 journalists on board.

What happened?

The plane lost contact with ground controllers as it approached Medellin at about 22:15 (03:45 GMT), after the pilot reported an electrical fault. It came down in a mountainous area.

At least two of the survivors are footballers. They were confirmed to be defender Alan Ruschel and reserve goalkeeper Jackson Follman.

Image copyright AP Image caption The plane was travelling from Brazil via Bolivia

Some reports suggest another defender, Helio Neto, was also rescued.

Goalkeeper Marcos Padilha, also known as Danilo, was pulled alive from the wreckage but a spokesman said he later died in hospital.

The sports network Telemundo Deportes tweeted (in Spanish) that Ruschel was in shock but conscious and talking, and had asked to keep his wedding ring and to see his family.

Who are Chapecoense? - Luis Barrucho, BBC Brasil

Image copyright AFP Image caption The team were due to play in the first leg of the final of the Copa Sudamericana

Shortly before boarding in Sao Paulo, Chapecoense manager Cadu Gaucho, 36, appeared in a video posted on the team's Facebook site [in Portuguese] describing the trip to Medellin as "the club's most important to date".

Playing in the final of the Copa Sudamericana was to be the highlight of a glorious season for the team from a small city of less than 200,000 inhabitants in the state of Santa Catarina.

Founded in 1973, the team has been playing in Brazil's Serie A since only 2014 but is currently ninth ahead of much more famous and established teams such as Sao Paulo, Fluminense and Cruzeiro.

Last week, it became the first Brazilian team in three years to make it to the final of the Copa Sudamericana, South America's second most important club competition, after beating Argentine side San Lorenzo.

One of the founders of the club, Alvadir Pelisser, told BBC Brasil the tragedy had put an "end to everyone's dream". "We were a family, I'm shocked," he added.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Rescuers are working in cold, hilly terrain with only hand torches for light

Read our coverage in Spanish and in Portuguese

What is the reaction?

Brazilian President Michel Temer announced three days of national mourning, and top Spanish clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona held a minute's silence at the beginning of their practice sessions.

Image copyright AFP/Getty Images Image caption Bodies from the crash site were removed at daylight on Tuesday

Image copyright AFP/Getty Images Image caption A young boy mourns the team at their stadium in Chapeco - many more have gathered outside

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Sports journalist Ricardo Setyon knew some of those on board

Chapecoense's vice-president, Ivan Tozzo, told cable channel SporTV: "There are a lot of people crying in our city. We could never imagine this. Chapecoense is the biggest reason for joy here."

Goalkeeping coach Marcelo De Quadros Kunst stayed in Brazil with players who did not travel to Colombia.

He told the BBC: "We see wives fainting, ambulances taking them to the hospital, family members holding on to football boots left behind."

Argentine forward Alejandro Martinuccio was one of those who had to stay behind. "I was saved because I got injured," he told Argentina's La Red radio.

"I feel profound sadness. The only thing I can ask is prayers for the companions who were on the flight."

Image copyright Twitter/Chapecoense Image caption The Chapecoense badge has changed from green to black on the club's social media account as a mark of respect

Other sporting plane crashes

September 2011 : 36 players, coaches and officials from Russian ice hockey team Lokomotiv die in a crash north-east of Moscow;

: 36 players, coaches and officials from Russian ice hockey team Lokomotiv die in a crash north-east of Moscow; April 1993 : A crash in Libreville, Gabon, kills 18 players from Zambia's male national football team;

: A crash in Libreville, Gabon, kills 18 players from Zambia's male national football team; October 1972 : Members of a Uruguyan rugby club were among 29 people who died in a crash in the Andes and in the subsequent freezing conditions;

: Members of a Uruguyan rugby club were among 29 people who died in a crash in the Andes and in the subsequent freezing conditions; February 1958: Eight players from English champions Manchester United are among the 29 victims of a crash in Munich

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·Send an SMS or MMS to +44 7624 800 100</s>Officials say six survivors have been rescued from the wreckage of a chartered plane carrying 81 people, including the squad of a top Brazilian football team, which crashed outside the Colombian city of Medellin.

Latest updates:

Plane carrying 81 crashes in the mountains

Plane was carrying team of Chapecoense Real

75 people have been killed

Six people survived

Authorities investigating whether plane crashed due to electrical failure or ran out of fuel

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The crash occurred amid poor weather conditions as the plane was on its way to the city's international airport, and the country's civil aviation authority said ambulances and emergency workers had arrived at the scene.

Local authorities said there appeared to be survivors, and confirmed the plane was a chartered flight carrying the team of Chapecoense Real for the final of a regional tournament.

Shape Created with Sketch. Medellin Plane Crash Show all 17 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Medellin Plane Crash 1/17 Logo of Brazilian football team Chapecoense at the site of the plane crash in a mountainous area outside the Colombian city of Medellin. Plane carrying Brazilian football team Chapecoense crashes in Colombia Rex 2/17 Rescue workers carry the body of a survivor of a plane that crashed in La Union, a mountainous area outside Medellin, Colombia AP 3/17 Rescue workers carry the body of a man from a plane that crashed outside Medellin, Colombia. The plane was carrying the Brazilian first division soccer club Chapecoense team that was on it's way for a Copa Sudamericana final match against Colombia's Atletico Nacional AP 4/17 Medical staff waiting for survivors of the crashed plane carrying the Brazilian football team Chapecoense, at San Juan de Dios La Ceja Hospital, in La Ceja municipality, near Medellin Rex 5/17 Medical staff from the San Juan de Dios hospital transfer 27-year-old Brazilian soccer player Alan Ruschel as he arrives to La Ceja in Colombia Rex 6/17 81 people, including the players of the Brazilian soccer club Chapecoense, crashed in a mountainous area outside Medellin as it was approaching the Jose Maria Cordoba airport EPA 7/17 Medical staff from the San Juan de Dios hospital transfer Brazilian journalist Rafael Henze as he arrives at La Ceja in Colombia after surviving a plane crash EPA 8/17 razil's Chapecoense player Helio Neto is helped by paramedics at the San Juan de Dios clinic in La Ceja. Traveling on the doomed airliner that crashed in Colombia overnight were the players and staff of a Brazilian football club about to complete a fairytale journey from unknowns to would-be South American champions Getty 9/17 Rescue workers search at the wreckage site of a chartered airplane that crashed outside Medellin, Colombia AP 10/17 A charter plane carrying the Chapocoense Real football team crashed in the mountains in Colombia late Monday, killing as many as 75 people, officials said Getty 11/17 Rescuers gesture near the wreckage of the LAMIA airlines charter plane carrying members of the Chapecoense Real football team that crashed in the mountains of Cerro Gordo, municipality of La Union Getty 12/17 Supporters of the Chapcoense FC gathering at the club in Chapeco, Brazil EPA 13/17 Supporters of the Chapcoense FC gathering at the club in Chapeco, Brazil EPA 14/17 People pay tribute to the players of Brazilian team Chapecoense Real who were killed in a plane accident in the Colombian mountains, at the club's Arena Conda stadium in Chapeco Getty 15/17 Fans pay tribute to members of the Chapecoense team in front of the club headquarters, in the city of Chapeco Getty 16/17 People pay tribute to the players of Brazilian team Chapecoense Real who were killed in a plane accident in the Colombian mountains, at the club's Arena Conda stadium in Chapeco Getty 17/17 People pay tribute to the players of Brazilian team Chapecoense Real who were killed in a plane accident in the Colombian mountains, at the club's Arena Conda stadium in Chapeco, in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina Getty 1/17 Logo of Brazilian football team Chapecoense at the site of the plane crash in a mountainous area outside the Colombian city of Medellin. Plane carrying Brazilian football team Chapecoense crashes in Colombia Rex 2/17 Rescue workers carry the body of a survivor of a plane that crashed in La Union, a mountainous area outside Medellin, Colombia AP 3/17 Rescue workers carry the body of a man from a plane that crashed outside Medellin, Colombia. The plane was carrying the Brazilian first division soccer club Chapecoense team that was on it's way for a Copa Sudamericana final match against Colombia's Atletico Nacional AP 4/17 Medical staff waiting for survivors of the crashed plane carrying the Brazilian football team Chapecoense, at San Juan de Dios La Ceja Hospital, in La Ceja municipality, near Medellin Rex 5/17 Medical staff from the San Juan de Dios hospital transfer 27-year-old Brazilian soccer player Alan Ruschel as he arrives to La Ceja in Colombia Rex 6/17 81 people, including the players of the Brazilian soccer club Chapecoense, crashed in a mountainous area outside Medellin as it was approaching the Jose Maria Cordoba airport EPA 7/17 Medical staff from the San Juan de Dios hospital transfer Brazilian journalist Rafael Henze as he arrives at La Ceja in Colombia after surviving a plane crash EPA 8/17 razil's Chapecoense player Helio Neto is helped by paramedics at the San Juan de Dios clinic in La Ceja. Traveling on the doomed airliner that crashed in Colombia overnight were the players and staff of a Brazilian football club about to complete a fairytale journey from unknowns to would-be South American champions Getty 9/17 Rescue workers search at the wreckage site of a chartered airplane that crashed outside Medellin, Colombia AP 10/17 A charter plane carrying the Chapocoense Real football team crashed in the mountains in Colombia late Monday, killing as many as 75 people, officials said Getty 11/17 Rescuers gesture near the wreckage of the LAMIA airlines charter plane carrying members of the Chapecoense Real football team that crashed in the mountains of Cerro Gordo, municipality of La Union Getty 12/17 Supporters of the Chapcoense FC gathering at the club in Chapeco, Brazil EPA 13/17 Supporters of the Chapcoense FC gathering at the club in Chapeco, Brazil EPA 14/17 People pay tribute to the players of Brazilian team Chapecoense Real who were killed in a plane accident in the Colombian mountains, at the club's Arena Conda stadium in Chapeco Getty 15/17 Fans pay tribute to members of the Chapecoense team in front of the club headquarters, in the city of Chapeco Getty 16/17 People pay tribute to the players of Brazilian team Chapecoense Real who were killed in a plane accident in the Colombian mountains, at the club's Arena Conda stadium in Chapeco Getty 17/17 People pay tribute to the players of Brazilian team Chapecoense Real who were killed in a plane accident in the Colombian mountains, at the club's Arena Conda stadium in Chapeco, in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina Getty

The British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane, operated by a charter airline named LaMia, declared an emergency at 10pm Monday (0300 GMT) because of an electrical failure.

"It's a tragedy of huge proportions," Medellin Mayor Federico Gutierrez told Blu Radio on his way to the site in a mountainous area outside the city where aircraft crashed.

The aircraft, which made a stop in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, was transporting the first division Chapecoense soccer team from southern Brazil. The team was scheduled to play Wednesday in the first of a two-game Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional of Medellin.

"May God accompany our athletes, officials, journalists and other guests traveling with our delegation," the club said in a brief statement on its Facebook page.

South America's soccer federation extended its condolences to the entire Chapecoense community and said its president, Luis Dominguez, was on his way to Medellin. All soccer activities were suspended until further notice, the organisation said in a statement.</s>Fuerza a los jugadores de Chapecoense, sus familias y sus seguidores. El Fútbol está de luto. pic.twitter.com/0tA0pmRYTf — Andres Felipe Arcos (@AndresFelipe) November 29, 2016

Dozens of rescuers working through the night were initially heartened after pulling three passengers alive from the wreckage. But as the hours passed, and heavy rainfall and low visibility grounded helicopters and complicated efforts to reach the mountainside crash site, the mood soured to the point that authorities had to freeze until dusk what was by then a body recovery operation.

Images broadcast on local television showed three passengers arriving to a local hospital in ambulances on stretchers and covered in blankets connected to an IV. Among the survivors was a Chapecoense defender named Alan Ruschel, who doctors said suffered spinal injuries. Two goalkeepers, Danilo and Jackson Follmann, as well as a member of the team's delegation and a Bolivian flight attendant, were found alive in the wreckage.

But Danilo later died while receiving hospital treatment, team spokesman Andrei Copetti told The Associated Press.

The plane was carrying 72 passengers and nine crew members, aviation authorities said in a statement. Local radio said the same aircraft transported Argentina's national squad for a match earlier this month in Brazil, and previously had transported Venezuela's national team.

British Aerospace, which is now known as BAE Systems, says that the first 146-model plane took off in 1981 and that just under 400 — including the successor Avro RJ — were built in total in the U.K. through 2003. It says around 220 of are still in service in a variety of roles, including aerial firefighting and overnight freight services.

Alfredo Bocanegra, the head of Colombia's aviation authority, said initial reports suggest the aircraft was suffering electrical problems although investigators were also looking into an account from one of the survivors that the plane had run out of fuel about 5 minutes from its expected landing at Jose Maria Cordova airport outside Medellin.

A video published on the team's Facebook page showed the team readying for the flight earlier Monday in Sao Paulo's Guarulhos international airport. It wasn't immediately clear if the team switched planes in Bolivia or just made a stopover with the same plane.

The team, from the small city of Chapeco, was in the middle of a fairy tale season. It joined Brazil's first division in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s and made it last week to the Copa Sudamericana finals — the equivalent of the UEFA Europa League tournament — after defeating two of Argentina's fiercest squads, San Lorenzo and Independiente, as well as Colombia's Junior.

"This morning I said goodbye to them and they told me they were going after the dream, turning that dream into reality," Chapecoense board member told TV Globo. "The dream was over early this morning."

The team is so modest that its 22,000-seat arena was ruled by tournament organizers too small to host the final match, which was instead moved to a stadium 300 miles (480 kilometers) to the north in the city of Curitiba.

"This is unbelievable, I am walking on the grass of the stadium and I feel like I am floating," Copetti told the AP. "No one understands how a story that was so amazing could suffer such a devastating reversal. For many people here reality has still not struck."</s>The chartered aircraft, flying from Bolivia, crashed on its approach to the city of Medellin’s international airport.

The flight was carrying members of the Chapecoense football team, airport officials said.

Ambulances and rescuers were on their way to the crash site and it is possible there are survivors, the city’s mayor Federico Gutierrez said.

The plane crashed in a mountainous area outside the city shortly before midnight local time (5am GMT), according to reports.

"It's a tragedy of huge proportions," Mr Gutierrez told Blu Radio as he made his way to the site.

It is not clear what caused the crash of the aircraft, a British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane, but Colombia had been hit by heavy rains and thunderstorms in recent hours.

The plane was initially reported to be carrying 81 people on board, although it was not known if that figure included the crew.

The first division Chapecoense football team, from southern Brazil, were on their way to Colombia for a regional tournament final.

They were scheduled to play in the first of a two-game Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional of Medellin on Wednesday.

In a statement on its Facebook page, Chapecoense said: "May God accompany our athletes, officials, journalists and other guests traveling with our delegation."

The team said it would refrain from any further statements until it had fully evaluated the extent of the crash.

A video published on the team's Facebook page showed the team readying for the flight earlier Monday in Sao Paulo's Guarulhos international airport.

The team, from the small city of Chapeco, joined Brazil's first division in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s and made it to the Copa Sudamericana finals last week by defeating Argentina's legendary San Lorenzo squad.</s>A chartered aircraft with 81 people on board, including a Brazilian first division football team heading to Colombia for a regional tournament final, has crashed on its way to Medellin’s international airport.

Aviation authorities said there are reports of at least six survivors.

Aviation authorities said there are reports of at least six survivors.

“It’s a tragedy of huge proportions,” Medellin’s Mayor Federico Gutierrez Gutierrez told Blu Radio on his way to the site in a mountainous area outside the city where aircraft crashed.

Aviation authorities said the aircraft, a British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane operated by a Bolivian charter airline named Lamia, declared an emergency at 10 p.m. Monday (0300 GMT) due to an electrical failure.

Authorities and rescuers were immediately activated but an air force helicopter had to turn back due to low visibility.

The aircraft, which made a stop in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, was transporting the first division Chapecoense soccer team from southern Brazil.

The team was scheduled to play Wednesday in the first of a two-game Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional of Medellin.

The plane was carrying 72 passengers and nine crew members, aviation authorities said in a statement. Local radio said the same aircraft transported Argentina’s national squad for a match earlier this month in Brazil.

A video published on the team’s Facebook page showed the team readying for the flight earlier Monday in Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos international airport.

The team, from the small city of Chapeco, joined Brazil’s first division in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s and made it to the Copa Sudamericana finals last week by defeating Argentina’s legendary San Lorenzo squad.

The South American soccer federation has canceled all activities until further notice as a result of today’s crash.

The CONMEBOL federation said in a statement that its president, Alejandro Dominguez, is on his way to Medellin.

The first of the two-game Copa Sudamericana final was scheduled to be played Wednesday in Medellin between Chapecoense and Atletico Nacional.</s>A plane carrying 81 people, including members from Brazil’s Chapecoense football team, has crashed in Colombia. There were 72 passengers and nine crew on board. Some people are reported to have survived, including goalkeeper Alan Ruschel. The team was scheduled to play a Copa Sudamericana finals match against Atlético Nacional in Medellin on Wednesday. Photograph: @AndresFelipe/Twitter
• Brazilian team Chapecoense on board plane that crashed over Colombia – latest
• Who are Chapecoense, the football team involved in the Colombia plane crash? – video</s>A plane carrying 72 people, including a Brazilian football team, has crashed on its approach to the city of Medellin in Colombia.

Details are unclear but some reports say there are survivors.

The chartered plane, flying from Bolivia, was carrying members of the Chapecoense football team, airport officials said.

The team was due to play in the final of the South American club cup against Medellin team Atletico Nacional.

The final has now been suspended.

Reports say the plane crashed in a mountainous area outside the city shortly before midnight local time (05:00 GMT).

Medellin's Mayor Federico Gutierrez described it as "a tragedy of huge proportions", but added it was possible there were survivors.

The Jose Maria Cordova de Rionegro airport, which serves Medellin, posted on its Twitter account: "Confirmed, the aircraft licence number CP2933 was carrying the team @ChapecoenseReal. Apparently there are survivors."</s>Among the 72 passengers and nine crew were members of Chapecoense Real, a Brazilian football club that was supposed to play against Colombia's Atletico Nacional Wednesday in the South American Cup finals.

A plane carrying 81 people, including members of a Brazilian football team, crashed late Monday near the Colombian city of Medellin, officials said.

The airport that serves Medellin said that among the 72 passengers and nine crew were members of Chapecoense Real, a Brazilian football club that was supposed to play against Colombia's Atletico Nacional Wednesday in the South American Cup finals.

"Confirmed, the aircraft license number CP2933 was carrying the team @ChapecoenseReal. Apparently there are survivors," the Jose Maria Cordova de Rionegro airport said on its Twitter account.

The LAMIA aircraft was flying from Bolivia to Medellin when it crashed in an area called Cerro Gordo about 50 kilometers from the city, Colombia's second largest.

"It appears that the plane ran out of fuel," Elkin Ospina, the mayor of the nearby town of La Ceja, told AFP.

He said authorities were on the scene and hospitals and medical centres were preparing to receive the injured.

On its Twitter account, the Medellin airport said the crash site could only be reached overland because of bad weather in the area.

Colombia's civil aeronautics agency said it had a team at the airport in response to the crash.</s>A chartered aircraft with 81 on board, including a Brazilian football team heading to Colombia for a regional tournament final, has crashed on its way to Medellin’s international airport.

Officials from the airport reported only six survivors in a statement.

The plane had declared an emergency due to power failure before losing contact with the control tower.

Colombia has been hit by heavy storms which are hampering rescue efforts. “The site of the accident is only accessible by land due to climatic conditions and low visibility,” a statement from the airport said.

“The Colombian Air Force deployed a search and rescue helicopter which had to cancel the mission due to the adverse conditions.

“According to the authorities the police are mobilising all possible help since they are reporting six survivors.” Officials said the plane was carrying 72 passengers and nine crew members.

Medellin’s airport confirmed that the aircraft, which made a stop in Bolivia, was taking the first division Chapecoense football team from southern Brazil. The team was due to play on Wednesday in the first of a two-game Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional of Medellin.

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) expressed its alarm as details of the crash emerged.

Its statement noted that different information was emerging through various sources, and said: “Chapecoense Football Club, through its vice-president Ivan Tozzo, reserves the right to wait for the official announcement from the Colombian air authority, in order to issue any official note about the accident.

“God be with our athletes, management, journalists and other guests who are with the delegation.”

Newspaper El Colombiano reported the plane went missing at around 10pm local time on Monday (3am Irish time on Tuesday). The same newspaper said one footballer was among the survivors and had been taken to hospital.

“It’s a tragedy of huge proportions,” Medellin’s mayor Federico Gutierrez told Blu Radio on his way to the site in a mountainous area outside the city where the chartered aircraft has crashed.

A video published on the team’s Facebook page showed players readying for the flight earlier on Monday in Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos international airport.

The team, from the small city of Chapeco, joined Brazil’s first division in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s and made it to the Copa Sudamericana finals last week by defeating Argentina’s legendary San Lorenzo squad.</s>BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — A chartered aircraft with 81 people on board, including a Brazilian first division soccer team heading to Colombia for a regional tournament final, has crashed on its way to Medellin’s international airport.

Aviation authorities said there are reports of at least six survivors.

“It’s a tragedy of huge proportions,” Medellin Mayor Federico Gutierrez told Blu Radio on his way to the site in a mountainous area outside the city where aircraft crashed.

Aviation authorities said the British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane, operated by a Bolivian charter airline named Lamia, declared an emergency at 10 p.m. Monday (0300 GMT) due to an electrical failure.

Authorities and rescuers were immediately activated but an air force helicopter had to turn back because of low visibility. They urged journalists to stay away from the hard-to-access zone and stay off the roads to facilitate the entry of ambulances and rescuers. The area has been hit by heavy rains in recent days.

An ambulance transporting a male passenger with oxygen and covered in a blanket arrived on a stretcher to a local hospital, Blu Radio reported. He was apparently alive.

The aircraft, which made a stop in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, was transporting the first division Chapecoense soccer team from southern Brazil. The team was scheduled to play Wednesday in the first of a two-game Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional of Medellin.

The plane was carrying 72 passengers and nine crew members, aviation authorities said in a statement. Local radio said the same aircraft transported Argentina’s national squad for a match earlier this month in Brazil, and previously had transported Venezuela’s national team.

A video published on the team’s Facebook page showed the team readying for the flight earlier Monday in Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos international airport.

The team, from the small city of Chapeco, was in the middle of a fairy tale season. It joined Brazil’s first division in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s and made it last week to the Copa Sudamericana finals — the equivalent of the UEFA Europa League tournament — after defeating Argentina’s San Lorenzo squad.
A chartered Avro RJ85 plane carrying at least 81 people, including the Chapecoense football team, crashes near Medellín, Colombia. Rescuers report at least six survivors have been found in the wreckage. The 2016 Copa Sudamericana Finals are suspended.