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Colombia Chapecoense plane crash: What we know Colombia Chapecoense plane crash: What we know
(about 13 hours later)
A passenger plane carrying 77 people, including Brazil's Chapecoense football club, has crashed in Colombia. Just six people survived. Here is what we know so far. Investigators are trying to work out why the plane that crashed in Colombia on 28 November, killing 71 people, ran out of fuel. The dead include most of Brazil's Chapecoense football club. Six people survived. Here is what we know so far.
What happened?What happened?
A charter plane flying from Brazil to Colombia via Bolivia lost contact with ground controllers on Monday evening after the pilot reported an electrical fault. The plane, operated by Bolivian-based charter airline Lamia, was flying from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, in Bolivia, to Medellin, in Colombia.
It lost contact with ground controllers on Monday evening after the pilot reported an electrical fault.
Images from a flight tracker show the Lamia Flight 2933 circling several times just outside of Medellin.Images from a flight tracker show the Lamia Flight 2933 circling several times just outside of Medellin.
At around 22:15 on Monday (03:15 GMT on Tuesday), on the approach to the Colombian city of Medellin, it crashed in Cerro Gordo in the municipality of La Union. At around 22:15 on Monday (03:15 GMT on Tuesday), it crashed on the approach to Medellin.
The plane broke apart on impact but did not explode, raising suspicions that it had lost power due to a lack of fuel. Investigators say the plane did not have any fuel at the moment of impact.
That seemed to be confirmed in leaked audio from the air traffic control tower, published by Colombian and Brazilian media. That appeared to corroborate a leaked tape in which the pilot can be heard requesting permission to land owing to an electric failure and lack of fuel.
It revealed the pilot repeatedly requesting permission to land, due to a "total electric failure" and "lack of fuel". The final call
Just before the tape ends, the pilot said he was flying at an altitude of 9,000ft (2,743m). Pilot: Lima-Mike-India 2933 is in total failure, total electrical failure and [without] fuel.
The aircraft's two black box flight recorders, which could provide essential information into what happened, were later recovered "in perfect condition", officials said. Tower: Runway is free. Expect rain on the surface Lima-Mike-India 933, firemen have been alerted.
Bad weather hampered rescue efforts, with the crash site inaccessible by air. Rescuers had to travel on foot for more than half an hour to reach the site. Pilot: Vectors, miss. Tell me the vectors from the runway.
Colombia's disaster management agency says 71 people died - the number of dead was initially put at 75, but it turned out four passengers did not make the flight. Tower: I can't find you on the radar. What is your direction now?
Pilot: Direction 360. 360
Tower: Turn left 010 and proceed to the Rio Negro localiser 1 mile ahead of Bora... I confirm go on the left in the direction of 350.
Pilot: Left 350.
Tower: Yes, correct. You're at 0.1 mile to the Rio Negro localiser.
Tower: I don't have your altitude, Lima-Mike-India.
Pilot: 9,000ft, miss. Vectors, vectors.
Tower: You're 8.2 miles to the runway.
Pilot: Jesus.
Tower: What's your altitude now?
Freddy Bonilla, a civil aviation official in Colombia said the electrical fault could have been caused by lack of fuel.
Both flight recorders, which could provide essential information into what happened, have been recovered. But a full investigation into the crash is expected to take months.
Investigators will also look into the flight plan. Mr Bonilla said regulations stipulated that aircraft must have 30 minutes of extra fuel in reserve so as to be able to reach an alternative airport in an emergency.
A refuel stop in Bolivia had been planned. But the flight missed a stop in Cobija, in northern Bolivia, because the airport was closed at night, according to Gustavo Vargas, Lamia's director-general.
The pilot had mentioned the Colombian capital Bogota as a possible refuelling stop, but headed straight to Medellin.
A plane flying nearby had asked for priority in landing because of an emergency, minutes before the Lamia plane crashed.
As a result, according to reports, air traffic control told other approaching planes, including the Lamia flight, to fly holding patterns.
Who was on board?Who was on board?
The British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane, operated by Bolivian-based charter airline Lamia, was carrying 77 people. The British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane was carrying 77 people.
Chapecoense were due to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana, against Medellin team Atletico Nacional.Chapecoense were due to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana, against Medellin team Atletico Nacional.
Three of the survivors are footballers: defenders Alan Ruschel and Helio Zemper Neto, as well as reserve goalkeeper Jakson Follman. Their injuries vary in their severity. Three of the survivors are footballers: defenders Alan Ruschel and Helio Zemper Neto, as well as reserve goalkeeper Jakson Follmann.
In an update on Wednesday, the club said Ruschel underwent spinal surgery, but retained "normal movement" in his limbs. Neto was in a critical but stable condition, with a positive outlook. Follmann's right leg has been amputated. Ruschel underwent spinal surgery, and Neto had severe trauma to his skull, thorax and lungs. They were all in intensive care.
It said Follmann "is the one in the most severe state". He had one leg amputated and was still at risk of losing his other foot. The club's main goalkeeper, Marcos Danilo Padilha, was pulled alive from the wreckage but later died.
The club's main goalkeeper, Marcos Padilha aka Danilo, was pulled alive from the wreckage but later died. Two crew members - flight attendant Ximena Suarez and flight technician Erwin Tumiri - and journalist Rafael Henzel also survived.
Two crew members and a journalist also survived, according to Colombia's disaster management agency UNGRD. Colombian aviation officials said there were 21 journalists on board, six of them from the Fox Sports Brazil channel and others from the Globo TV network.
Colombian aviation officials said there were 21 journalists on board, six of them from the Fox Sports Brasil channel and others from the Globo network.
Who are Chapecoense?Who are Chapecoense?
Chapecoense are a small team from Chapeco, a southern city famous for its meat-packing and an area not commonly associated with the big clubs of the Copa Sudamericana, South America's equivalent to the Europa League. Chapecoense are a small team from Chapeco, a southern city in an area not commonly associated with the big clubs of the Copa Sudamericana, South America's equivalent of the Europa League.
The team, founded in 1973, has been performing well this year, sitting in the middle of the table of the national championship.The team, founded in 1973, has been performing well this year, sitting in the middle of the table of the national championship.
Chapecoense were promoted to Brazil's top division, Serie A, for the first time in the club's history in 2014. Chapecoense were promoted to Brazil's top division, Serie A, for the first time in its history in 2014.
It is quite an achievement for a small club with one of the most limited budgets of any team in the first division. The club also has no well-known star player. It is quite an achievement for a low-budget club with no star player.
Last week they were seen rejoicing after beating Argentina's Club Atletico San Lorenzo de Almagro, a popular team whose supporters include Pope Francis. Last week they were seen rejoicing after beating Argentina's Club Atletico San Lorenzo de Almagro, a major team whose supporters include Pope Francis.
Why did the flight have a stopover?
Lamia, originally a Venezuelan operator but now based in Bolivia, requested permission from the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) to transport the Chapecoense team on a charter flight from Brazil to Colombia.
Anac denied the request, based on the Brazilian Aeronautics Code (CBAer), which deals with air service agreements between countries, stating that the agreement with Lamia did not cover the service.
The team then took a commercial flight from Sao Paulo in Brazil to Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia, before boarding the Lamia Flight 2933 bound for Medellin.
What type of plane was it?What type of plane was it?
The aircraft was a British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane, often used by carriers to service small city-based airports. This type of aircraft is often used by carriers to service small city-based airports.
The four-engine plane was first used in 1999 and belonged to two other airlines before being sold to Lamia.The four-engine plane was first used in 1999 and belonged to two other airlines before being sold to Lamia.
Moments before the crash, an electrical fault was recorded with the control tower at Medellin airport, according to a Colombian airport press release. This is not the first recorded incident involving a BA 146:
This is not the first recorded incident involving a British Aerospace 146 aircraft: Lamia, originally a Venezuelan operator but now based in Bolivia, requested permission from the Brazilian aviation agency Anac to transport the Chapecoense team on a charter flight from Brazil to Colombia.
Anac denied the request because Brazilian regulations state that only Brazilian or Colombian airlines can fly between the two countries.
The team then took a commercial flight from Sao Paulo in Brazil to Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia, before boarding the Lamia flight bound for Medellin.