The Chapecoense Tragedy

December 23, 2016
Never before had such a tragedy occurred in the world of Brazilian soccer. It surpassed the Tragedy of the Maracanã and the Disaster of the Mineirão. The entire nation spent time simply sharing in the grief. Because the accident happened in the middle of the night, many people learned the first reports through the news or social media on the morning of November 29th, once the day had broken. That day, both television and radio continued to broadcast live updates and information about the accident. Hoping that there would be even one more survivor...

Of the 71 passengers, only 6 survived. Looking at the wreckage of the aircraft, it seems like a true miracle that 6 people were found alive and rescued. The bodies of the 50 Chapecoense players and staff were transported from Colombia to Chapecó by the Brazilian military, and the military welcomed them with the highest honors, firing blank volleys. The sight of the President himself placing his hand on each coffin to offer his gratitude was as if he were honoring soldiers who had fought and died for their country. On December 11, the final day of the 2016 Brazilian League, each club wore special uniforms featuring the Chapecoense emblem, the slogan #ForçaChape (Stay Strong Chape), and the team's green color to express their condolences to Chapecoense, uniting their hearts as one. Even so, the fact that the cause of the accident was a lack of fuel is utterly heartbreaking. It was a 4-hour and 22-minute flight from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, to Medellín, Colombia, which was the absolute limit of the fuel capacity for the aircraft used. They flew toward Medellín without refueling, despite lacking the necessary fuel reserves required for flight extensions or for reaching a nearby airport if the destination had to be changed. Furthermore, it was Celia Castedo, an official at the Bolivian aviation authority, who approved the flight plan created by Miguel Quiroga, the pilot and one of the owners of LaMia. Despite pointing out the unreasonable flight plan, she was persuaded by Alex Quispe of LaMia, who insisted that they could actually fly faster... One cannot help but feel the frustration of an accident that could have been avoided with just 400 liters of fuel for 30 more minutes of flight. Chapecoense was an exceptionally excellent club that had risen rapidly to the top league of Brazilian soccer in just the last few years. Founded in 1973, it is a very young club compared to other prestigious clubs that have already carved out 100 years of history. Southern Brazil is a region where German and Italian immigrants settled, and it has traditionally revitalized its economy through steady agriculture and livestock farming. The level of education is also higher than the Brazilian average. Chapecó, located in the state of Santa Catarina, has a population of 200,000, or about 400,000 including the surrounding areas. It is also a city famous for livestock, with a meat industry economic zone centered on Chapecó that reaches a scale of 2 million people, a profile that differs significantly from the inland, northern, and northeastern parts of Brazil that suffer from poverty. It is particularly famous for meat processing, such as pork and chicken. In Brazil, the name of Chapecó was known alongside the meat processing company Chapecó. Although the Chapecó company went bankrupt due to poor management, Aurora, which continues to lead Brazil's meat processing industry today, is headquartered in Chapecó. It is also Chapecoense's biggest sponsor. Aurora is deeply embedded in the lives of Brazilians, and its ham, bacon, and frozen foods are an inseparable part of their daily existence. Furthermore, there are many exports to Japan, and 15% of Aurora's exports go to Japan. Aurora supplies much of the chicken sold in Japan. The connection between Japan and Chapecoense is not just about soccer. Chapecoense debuted in the Brazilian National Fourth Division in 2009 and was promoted to the First Division in 2013. No other club had climbed to the top in such a short period. It was a club in progress, where the city nurtured the club and they grew together. The management failures and operational disorder common in Brazilian clubs were foreign to Chapecoense, and it was precisely because they drew a line against corruption that they were able to achieve success in such a short time. They had advanced to the finals of the Copa Sudamericana, a South American championship tournament on par with the Copa Libertadores, and were on the verge of achieving the feat of winning the club's first international title when they were struck by this unexpected tragedy. Why must a serious club with sound management be visited by such misfortune...? This was a tragedy that should never have happened. It was an accident that did not need to occur. The anger and frustration at this absurdity are endless. However, Chapecoense should not end here. To revive the club that our team and people have loved and supported, people will likely unite their hearts even more. It is a city and a club with that kind of strength. Chapecoense, with its sound management, was a model that held the key to the future of Brazilian soccer. I do not know why God gave such a trial to Chapecoense, to the people of Chapecó, and to Brazil. Soccer fans not only in Brazil but around the world shared the grief over the disappearance of one team. To rise from this, the strength of many people is needed. I only hope that this tragedy will unite the city and its people, become a hope for the children, and eventually become the hope that changes corrupt Brazilian soccer. When Ayrton Senna died in an accident in 1994, all of Brazil was filled with grief. However, Senna still lives on in the hearts of Brazilians and people around the world, and his achievements are never fading and continue to be appreciated. What will we learn from the Chapecoense tragedy? (Mika Ohno = São Paulo Correspondent)