The Americas

Colombia authorities say they are responding to plane crash

Associated Press
Published | Updated

CORRECTS TO DELETE THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS - In this Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016, file photo, players of Brazil's Chapecoense celebrate at the end of a Copa Sudamericana semifinal soccer match against Argentina's San Lorenzo in Chapeco, Brazil. A chartered aircraft with passengers including players from Chapecoense, heading to Colombia for a regional tournament final, has crashed on its way to Medellin's international airport in Colombia, Medellin's Mayor Federico Gutierrez and Medellin's airport said Tuesday, Nov. 29. (AP Photo/Andre Penner, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016, file photo, players of Brazil's Chapecoense celebrate at the end of a Copa Sudamericana semifinal soccer match against Argentina's San Lorenzo in Chapeco, Brazil. A chartered aircraft with 81 people on board, including the Brazilian first division Chapecoense soccer team heading to Colombia for a regional tournament final, has crashed on its way to Medellin's international airport. (AP Photo/Andre Penner, File ) (The Associated Press)

Map locates departure, flight stop, destination and crash site of plane heading to Colombia; 2c x 4 1/2 inches; 96.3 mm x 114 mm; (The Associated Press)

Authorities are responding to an emergency after an airplane with 72 people on board has crashed on its way to Medellin's international airport.

Medellin's international airport said on its Twitter account that the aircraft had departed from Bolivia.

It's not clear if there are any survivors. But local media reported that the charter aircraft was carrying members of the soccer team Chapecoense from Brazil, which is scheduled to play Copa Sudamerica finals against Atletico Nacional on Wednesday in Medellin.