President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of condolence to the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, His Excellency Mr. Michel Temer, following the death of 71 persons, most of whom were members of a Brazilian football team, Chapecoense.

A plane carrying the Brazilian football team, Chapecoense, crashed in a forested region near Medellin, Colombia, late Tuesday, November 29, 2016. The team had been due to play a cup final against Atletico Nacional in Medellin on Wednesday evening. The sad event also took the lives of some journalists, who were going to provide coverage of the football match. Only six of the 77 people on board the plane survived.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, in the condolence message to her Brazilian counterpart, President Sirleaf said, “We have received with shock and profound sadness the news of a plane crash in Colombia, on Tuesday, November 29, 2016, killing 71 person including members of the Brazilian Chapecoense soccer team and journalists.

President Sirleaf, on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia and in her own name, extended to President Temer, the Government and people of Brazil, especially the families of the victims, heartfelt condolences for the “irreparable loss.

She prayed that as the people of Brazil mourn the loss of their compatriots, the Almighty God will grant President Temer and the people of Brazil strength, courage and fortitude during this time of national mourning.