In Colombia, an emotional tribute was paid to the victims of the accident at the Chapecoense club in Brazil

La Unión, the Colombian town where the plane of the Brazilian club Chapecoense fell, this Sunday commemorated the five years of the tragedy with a tribute to the victims of the fateful night of November 28, 2016 and endorsed the brotherhood between countries.

In the village (village) of Pantalio, located on the border of the municipalities of La Unión and La Ceja, an emotional meeting took place to remember the 71 deceased, the six survivors and the heroes who attended the emergency that night in the Chapecoense Hill.

A rural school was the scene of the ceremony where the flags of Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Paraguay and Venezuela were waved and attended by diplomats, religious, officials and residents of the area who were witnesses to the tragedy.

The commemoration included performances by a symphonic band, a religious ceremony, helicopter flight, exchange of memories and reflections.

“A tribute is not a goodbye to the deceased, but a see you soon,” said priest José Giraldo, who recalled that this accident was a “seed of unity” between Colombia and Brazil.

Indelible mark

Among the crowd that wore T-shirts of Chapecoense and Atlético Nacional, his rival in that final of the Copa Sudamericana that was not, the air traffic controller Yaneth Molina appeared, who presents himself as “the last person who provided the service” to the aircraft. LaMia that took off from the stopover in Bolivia with 77 people on board, but never arrived at the Rionegro airport, near Medellín.

“It is a footprint that has one marked. I am happy to be here commemorating that situation that was so difficult for everyone. We must pay tribute to them. It is also a way of healing, of peace, of being calm, ”Molina told Efe.

The controller’s voice broke during her speech at the tribute. The same happened to the commander of the La Unión firefighters, Fabián Mejía, one of the first to enter the area of ​​the accident in the old Cerro Gordo, now called Chapecoense, where visitors come to pray for the dead and learn the stories behind of the rescue of the six survivors.

The lifeguard still remembers the strong smell of fuel, the fear that ran through his body and the injured sending signals with lights.

It is difficult to remember. It’s hard to hike these trails again. That night we were afraid because of the responsibility we were assuming, ”Mejía told Efe.

Five years after the tragedy, he says he felt “a little frustrated for not having been able to do more things” that night on that mountain in the department of Antioquia.

Monument to the brotherhood

The honorary consul of Brazil, Sergio Escobar, praised the work of “the heroes of that moment”, among them several inhabitants of La Unión.

He also pointed out that from the accident “in Brazil there is a before and after about what is thought of Colombia”, as a feeling of “brotherhood” and “solidarity” was catapulted.

“We are brothers forever,” said the diplomat, who revealed that they are taking steps to build a sculpture that “validates” that brotherhood.

But it will not be the only symbol on Cerro Chapecoense. The mayor of La Unión, Edgar Osorio, revealed that they want to build a sanctuary as a “monument of brotherhood”.

While this is happening, on the hill there is already a chapel and 71 crosses with the names of the victims while the story of the tragedy is still transmitted by the inhabitants of the area, some of whom made small museums with replicas of the plane in their homes. flags, photos and fragments of the aircraft to immortalize the Chapecoense. (D)