Brazil in Mourning for its Chapecoense Soccer Team

Brazil mourns the deaths of dozens of men aboard a flight that crashed near Medellin, Colombia. Investigators are examining the flight records to determine what happened to the plane in which 71 died and only six survived.

The jet’s wreckage and its final resting place may prove to be an enormous clue in determining what went wrong. CNN reports that the lack of fire damage in the crash of LAMIA airlines flight 2933 makes investigators consider fuel starvation.

According to Colombian authorities, three soccer players, two crew members, and one journalist survived. The plane declared an emergency between La Ceja and La Union, and crashed in an area called Cerro El Gordo near Medellin, Colombia. The Red Cross arrived to the scene the same day at 10:30 pm.

The players for the Brazilian Chapecoense soccer team, coaches, and invited guests were on board that flight; the team was on their way to play the first leg of the South American Cup finals. They were going to play against Colombia’s Atletico Nacional team, and about 20 journalists were heading to cover one of the greatest stories. The team was in ninth place in Brazil’s Serie A league; their performance in the tournament this year surprised many people. According to CNN, the team hoped to become the next Brazilian club to win the South American Cup since 2008.

On Wednesday, Nov. 20, a remembrance was held for the victims that took place in the stadium that Brazil’s Chapecoense soccer team was due to play.

Hundreds gathered in the team’s hometown of Chapeco, Brazil, to grieve for the loss of everyone on the flight. The news of such a tragic event sent everyone in disbelief. Many other teams, soccer players, and celebrities paid tribute to the team through social media and attendance to the remembrance ceremony.

Although the cause of the crash is still unclear, our hearts go out to all the victims’ families. They will be missed dearly.