Brazil's Chapecoense players pose for pictures during their 2016 Copa Sudamericana semi-final

A plane carrying members of a Brazilian football team, Chapecoense, has crashed in Colombia, killing 71 people according to the Colombian aviation authorities.

Six others survived, including three players.

The charter aircraft, carrying 77 people, came down in a mountainous area outside Medellin at about 10.15pm local time.

It was later confirmed to be carrying members of the Brazil Serie A side, who were scheduled to play in the Copa Sudamerica finals against Atletico National in Medellin on Wednesday.

Brazilian football expert Tim Vickery says people in South America had taken Chapecoense to their hearts after their run to the finals of the Copa Sudameri Brazilian football expert Tim Vickery says people in South America had taken Chapecoense to their hearts after their run to the finals of the Copa Sudameri

Access to the crash site had been difficult because of heavy rain, causing the rescue operation to be suspended in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

It has been confirmed that Chapecoense defender, 27-year-old Alan Ruschel, is one of the five survivors.

Concerning the player's condition, a doctor said: "We still don't have a final diagnosis.

"We are waiting for lab results and X-rays to make a decision and do a (surgical) procedure."

Colombian authorities also named the two other footballers who survived as Jakson Follmann and Neto.

Another player, goalkeeper Danilo, had initially survived too, but later died.

Wreckage of the chartered plane carrying Chapecoense players after it crashed in La Union

In a statement on its Facebook page, the club said: "May God accompany our athletes, officials, journalists and other guests travelling with our delegation."

Club vice president Ivan Tozzo told cable channel SporTV: "We are very sad, gathered here in the locker room of our stadium.

"There are a lot of people crying in our city. We could never imagine this.

"Chapecoense is the biggest reason for joy here."

A Chapecoense player who has been sidelined through injury and was not on the flight, Alejandro Martinuccio, said: "I feel profound sadness.

"The only thing I can ask is prayers for the companions who were on the flight."

A plane carrying 81 people, including Brazilian Serie A team Chapecoense has crashed in Colombia A plane carrying 81 people, including Brazilian Serie A team Chapecoense has crashed in Colombia

The plane had declared an emergency due to power failure before losing contact with the control tower.

Atletico Nacional has tweeted to express its sympathies. The South American football federation has suspended all games following the news from Colombia.

The president of Brazil, Michel Temer, has declared three days of mourning.

Alan Ruschel (right) has been confirmed as a survivor of the crash

"I express my solidarity in this sad hour during which tragedy has beset dozens of Brazilian families," he said.

"The government will do all it can to alleviate the pain of the friends and family of sport and national journalism."

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement: "This is a very, very sad day for football.

"At this difficult time our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends.

"FIFA would like to extend its most heartfelt condolences to the fans of Chapecoense, the football community and media organizations concerned in Brazil."

The mayor of Medellin, Federico Gutierrez, said: "It's a regrettable situation.

The charter aircraft was carrying the Chapecoense side from southern Brazil

"I can confirm that this is the plane where the players were and right now we are following the events.

"We have the necessary team coming from Medellin - ambulances, medical staff - and the important thing here is to understand that there are survivors and we are saving lives.

"We are doing all we can in this very regrettable and sad situation."

Who are Chapecoense?

Chapecoense were founded in 1973 in the city of Chapeco, in the state of Santa Caterina, southern Brazil.

They had recently broken into the top tier of Brazilian football and were preparing to play in their first final of South America's major club competition.

The team went on to win the state championship within a few years, and would add a few more. But big-league football eluded them for a long time.

Then, in 2014, it entered Brazil's first division, the Serie A, for the first time since the 1970s, and this year it made the finals of the Copa Sudamericana - South America's equivalent of the Europa League.