Survivors of the tragic Brazilian football club ( Chapecoense) that was devastated by a plane crash in the mountains of Colombia have made an emotional journey back to the mountain that claims several lives.

The survivors, including three players who survived the disaster, went to the hospital in Medellin where they got emergency treatment a year ago in the wake of being pulled from the destruction of a plane that collided with a mountainside, sending 71 of the 77 on the flight to early death, including 19 players.

“There’s nothing better that to being back here to thank these individuals,” said Alan Ruschel, who is recuperating from the spinal injury he suffered amid the accident.

Chapecoense received a warm welcome and military respects when they touched down in Medellin for the second leg of the Recopa Sudamericana, which highlights the champions of Latin America’s top two club competitions.

The team was flying out to Medellin very nearly six months back to confront Atletico in the Copa Sudamericana finals when the plane collided with a mountainside in the wake of having come up short on fuel only a couple of minutes before landing.

The three survivors from the team – Ruschel, Jackson Follman, Helio Zampier Neto and alongside a Brazilian reporter who likewise survived the tragedy – returned to the still-scarred mountain where a Brazilian flag, flowers, and a makeshift shrine have been left in memory of the 77 passengers and crew who were killed.

Helio Neto (front left), Alan Rushell (third from left) and Jackson Follman (second from left) joined Brazilian Chapecoense’s players and journalist Rafael Henzel (fourth from left) as they took part in a tribute to the victims of the air crash.

Helio Zampier Neto, shows his children the Chapecoense Hill where the airplane carrying the team came down in a tragedy that shocked the sporting world.

Picture Credits: Dailymail.co.uk