Colombia plane crash "tragic day for football," says Conmebol

The head of the South American soccer body said Tuesday was a "tragic day for football", following a plane crash in which almost an entire Brazilian team was killed.

In a statement, the president of the South American Soccer Confederation (Conmebol), Alejandro Dominguez, said "our prayers are with all of the passengers of the plane that crashed, their relatives and their friends."

Brazilian team Chapecoense was heading to a championship final in Medellin, Colombia, when the LMI2933 charter flight carrying a total of 81 passengers went down not far from the destination airport.

All but three members of the team on the flight were killed, as were 21 sports writers accompanying the club.

"Conmebol extends its sincerest solidarity to the Chapecoense community, the journalistic community and the Brazilian people," Dominguez said in Asuncion, Paraguay, before flying to Medellin.

Chapecoense was to play the first final match of the South American Cup on Wednesday against Colombia's Atletico Nacional.

Conmebol suspended "all confederation events until further notice".

Matches around the world on Tuesday began with a minute of silence in honor of the victims, and Brazil's president declared three days of mourning.

Six people mare reported to have survived, including two crew members and a reporter.

(APD)