Chapecoense striker Alejandro Martinuccio has revealed that injury prevented him from travelling with his teammates on the tragic flight to Colombia on Monday night.
The Brazilian team were travelling to Medellin for the final of the Copa Sudamericana when their plane lost power and came down at around 10.15pm local time.
The death toll currently stands at 77 and social media has been flooded with tributes throughout the day following a tragedy which has seen all South American football suspended until further notice.
Martinuccio has revealed that he would have been on board the aircraft but for an injury which meant that he stayed in Brazil.
"It's a very difficult moment. I woke up with the news. I'm very sad," he told La Red. "I've been recovering from an injury and I didn't travel. I got injured a month and a half ago and that's why I wasn't on the plane.
"I came to the club a little while ago. Everyone here is waiting for news of something. Nobody knows anything, it's just waiting and waiting. There are five survivors and nothing more [that we know about].
"This is a wonderful club, with some first-class players. Everyone is very sad. All this is really difficult. We hope that there is a miracle from God. All I can ask for is that you pray for my team-mates who were on the flight."
It is understood that Atletico Nacional, who were due to face Chapecoense in the final of the Copa Sudamericana, have asked for their opponents to be handed the crown.
