Plane carrying a Brazilian soccer club crashes in Colombia; 71 dead

An airplane carrying Brazilian soccer club Chapecoense crashed Monday night en route to Medellin, Colombia.

Colombian officials say 71 of the 77 people on board were killed, according to the Associated Press. It was originally reported that the aircraft was carrying 81 people - 72 passengers and nine crew - but officials confirmed Tuesday that four would-be passengers on the flight list didn't board.

Related: Football world pays tribute after Brazilian club's deadly plane crash

Colombian newspaper El Tiempo reports that 22 members of Chapecoense were on board the charter plane, which departed from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, with three of the survivors confirmed as players from the Brazilian Serie A side.

Two crew members and a journalist also survived, Colombia’s civilian aviation authority said, according to The New York Times.

The crash occurred in a mountainous area after the plane declared an emergency around 10 p.m., according to aviation officials.

Related: Chapecoense pays tribute to fallen 'warriors' with touching video

Chapecoense was set to begin a two-leg final against Colombian side Atletico Nacional in the Copa Sudamericana - South America's second-tier club competition below the Copa Libertadores.

Related: Atletico Nacional requests cup goes to Chapecoense after plane tragedy

The wife of Alan Luciano Ruschel confirmed the defender was among those who survived the crash.

"Thank God Alan is in the hospital, stable," she wrote on Instagram. "We are praying for all of those who were not yet rescued and offer our support to all their relatives."

Chapecoense players Jakson Follman and Zampier Neto are also reported to have survived, according to the Guardian.

Related - Report: Argentina team used doomed plane 2 weeks before crash

A statement from Brazilian president Michel Temer read, with translation from the Guardian: "I express my solidarity at this sad time when dozens of Brazilian families have been affected by tragedy.

"We are offering every form of help and assistance that we can to the families. The air force and foreign ministry have been put to work. The government will do everything possible to relieve the pain of these friends and families of Brazilian sport and journalism."

Related: Brazil declares 3 days of mourning following Chapecoense disaster

Chapecoense, based out of the southern Brazilian city of Chapeco, upset Argentina's San Lorenzo last week to reach the Copa Sudamericana final. A video posted on the club's Facebook page earlier Monday showed players ready to board the flight.

Earlier in the season, the team's coach, Caio Junior, described his club as the "Leicester City" of Brazilian football - a club that punched above its weight to defy expectations, similar to the side that won the English Premier League last season.

"Our team really reminds me of Leicester, a team from an unfancied city that was able to win an important title," Junior said in September, according to the Guardian's Jack Lang. "I want to make a mark this season with this club, this group of players."