'Chapecó had been representing Brazil with great honor'
In a statement, the Minister of Sport, Leonardo Picciani, affirms that the government will provide all possible assistance to the families of the victims of the accident; he adds: "The team from Santa Catarina had been representing Brazil with great honor in the competition. Chapecoense's historic campaign is a source of pride for all Brazilians."
Mariana Tokarnia – Reporter for Agência Brasil
The Minister of Sport, Leonardo Picciani, released a statement saying that the ministry and the Brazilian government are working to support the rescue efforts and treatment of the survivors of the plane crash that was carrying the Chapecoense delegation, Brazilian journalists, and citizens of Chapecó, who were traveling to Colombia to compete in the final of the Copa Sudamericana.
In the message, Picciani states that the government will provide all possible assistance to the families of the victims of the accident. He adds: "The team from Santa Catarina had been representing Brazil with great honor in the competition. Chapecoense's historic campaign is a source of pride for all Brazilians."
"Personally, and on behalf of the Ministry of Sport, I deeply regret the tragedy and express my solidarity with the families, friends of the victims, and the people of Chapecó," Picciani's statement also reads.
Eighty-one people were on board and 76 died, according to Colombian authorities. The Chapecoense team was traveling to Medellín, Colombia, where they were to play the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final against Atlético Nacional tomorrow (30) night. The second leg was to be played in Curitiba.