Messi, others flew ill-fated plane weeks ago, last photo of Brazilian team before plane crash revealed
The ill-fated British Aerospace 146 short-haul plane that crashed Monday night, killing almost all 81 people on board, was the same aircraft that transported Lionel Messi and other members of the Argentinian national team to Brazil almost three weeks ago.
The Argentinian team travelled in same charter airplane for their World Cup qualifier match against Brazil on November 10. A match the team lost 0-3.
Also, a photo that is believed to be the last taken of the Brazilian Chapecoense team before the crash has now circulated, showing the team members in good spirits as they headed for Colombia to play in the Copa Sudamerica finals against Atletico Nacional on Wednesday in Medellin.
#BREAKING; This was the #football team who were underway to a final in #Colombia.#PlaneCrash #Medelin #DEVELOPING pic.twitter.com/AeJszGkPbK
— BreakingNews (@BreakingNLive) November 29, 2016
AFP reports that at least 25 bodies have now been recovered from the crash, with five rescued alive.
#BREAKING 25 bodies recovered from Colombia air crash, five rescued alive: official
— AFP news agency (@AFP) November 29, 2016
Further unconfirmed reports have suggested that at least two members of the team – Alan Ruschel and Danilo – may have been part of the survivors from the crash.
The charter aircraft, which took off from Bolivia, was flying over the town of La Union at around 10 p.m before it crashed roughly 22 miles from an airport in northwestern Colombia.
Evacuation of bodies is still ongoing.
