SEVENTY-SIX people have been killed after a plane carrying Brazil’s Chapecoense Real football team crashed in Colombia.
In what is thought to be the deadliest plane crash this year, authorities were only able to rescue five survivors from the rubble near the town of La Ceja.
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Police confirmed the shocking death toll after hours of mixed reports suggested there had been dozens of survivors.
Treacherous weather conditions severeley hampered the rescue operation as ambulances struggled to reach the remote crash site.
Alan Ruschel, a defender on loan from Internacional, was the first player named as a survivor.
He was taken to hospital with injuries as local emergency services braced for an influx of patients.
A snapchat video showing him with teammate and Pal Danillo was posted online just before the crash.
Confirming he was rescued, Ruchel's sister Alissen said on Twitter: "God is great and will look after you. Stay strong. You are a soldier."
There were 72 passengers and nine crew were on board the doomed LAMIA plane.
The Brazilian First Division team changed its flight at the last minute on its way to a regional final in Colombia.
The club issued a statement shortly after the tragedy, saying: "may God accompany our athletes, officials, journalists and other guests travelling with our delegation."
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Ambulance crews ferrying survivors to hospital were only able get to within 30 minutes walking distance of the remote crash site.
Rescuers on foot had to stretcher the survivors through fog which prevents them from seeing a few feet in front of them, local radio reported.
They were then being put into lorries and driven another 700 metres to waiting ambulances.
Some of the lorries are were getting bogged down mud making the panicked rescue even more difficult.
Hypothermia was another concern for emergency services rushing to rescue survivors from freezing temperatures of below 5°C.
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The plane — an Avro RJ85 aircraft built by a company own by British firm BAE Systems — crashed at around 10.15pm local time in Cerro Gordo, La Union.
The same flight company took the Argentina team with Lionel Messi on board for their last match in Brazil.
It was travelling to José María Córdova International Airport in Rionegro, the second largest airport in Colombia.
A statement from the airport said the plane declared an emergency and "electrical failures" after leaving Bolivia, although a cause of the crash is yet to be established.
Who was onboard Flight 2933?
The and cabin crew on board the plane that crashed were all Bolivian.
Most of the 72 passengers were Brazilian.
Around 40 were part of the Chapecoense delegation.
They included 20 players, the manager Caio Junior and four other members of his coaching team including an assistant manager, a personal trainer, a kinesiologist and a masseur who is said to be among the survivors.
The club’s president and vice-president were also on board along with other club managers.
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The plane started its journey in Sao Paulo, Brazil at 3.35pm local time and made a stop in Santa Cruz de le Sierra, Bolivia, before heading to Colombia.
Medellin's mayor Federico Gutierrez described the crash as "a tragedy of huge proportions".
It has not yet been confirmed exactly what caused the plane to crash.
A photo has emerged of the football team sat in the cabin shortly before take off.
REUTERS
A video is also being shared of team boarding the fateful flight earlier that day.
Grinning players smile at the camera as they prepare to step on the aircraft.
Chapecoense was headed to the Copa Sudamericana finals in Colombia.
They were due to compete against Atlético Nacional at 6.45pm local time on Wednesday at Atanasio Girardot stadium in Medellín.
The team were only about five minutes from their destination when they crashed.
Local radio said the team were due to stay at the four-star Hotel San Fernando, an elegant hotel near Medellin’s Botanical Garden.
South American football confederation CONMEBOL has suspended the tournament.
For the latest news on this story keep checking back at Sun Online, where we will bring you live updates as soon as they happen, before anyone else.
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