Bolivia's Lamia airline grounded in wake of Colombia plane crash
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E-mail Xinhua, December 2, 2016
Bolivia's government on Thursday grounded Lamia airline and suspended the management of aviation authorities after the airline's plane crashed in Colombia on Monday, killing 71 people.
Lamia's operational license was suspended and an investigation launched into its owners, Public Works Minister Milton Claros said at a press conference.
All of the top executives at the country's General Direction of Civil Aviation and the Administration of Airports and Aerial Navigation Auxiliary Services have also been suspended and replaced.
"We are not blaming anyone, but while the investigations are ongoing, we think it appropriate to suspend all of the executives" to avoid any possible interference with the probe, said Claros.
Lamia flight 2933 crashed late Monday just moments before it was scheduled to land in Medellin, Colombia.
Leaked flight recordings show the pilot reported the plane ran out of fuel and was having electrical failures.
The plane took off from the Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, with 77 people on board, including Brazilian football team Chapecoense. The team was scheduled to play with Colombia's Atletico Nacional in Medellin on Wednesday, as part of the first final match of the South American Cup.
Also on board were some 20 sports writers covering the event.
Among the six survivors are three football players, two of the eight-member Bolivian flight crew, and a sports writer.
The charter flight operator was reportedly granted a license in July 2015.
Brazil declared three days of mourning and the South American Soccer Confederation suspended "all confederation events until further notice." Endi
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