SAO PAULO: Families of some of the journalists who died in the Chapecoense air disaster are to sue the club for being reckless over the flight arrangements writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Lawyer João Tancredo, who represents families of seven of the 21 journalists who died as the plane crashed on its approach to Medellin in Colombia, said: “Chapecoense will have to be sued, there is no other option.

“It was the club that chartered the aircraft and made the contract with the airline. Chapecoense undertook all responsibility for the transportation.”

Tancredo, whose clients include families of Guilherme Marques and producer Guilherme Van der Lars, both of TV Globo, said he applied to the courts for a copy of the contract between the club and the Bolivian-based airline LaMia.

He said: “I want to know who was responsible for the compensation in case of an accident. An insurance policy would have been made on behalf of the passengers. It is mandatory,.”

He also wants to confirm how the journalists’ transport was funded, adding: “These families have not received any offer of compensation so far. The chance of some people receiving nothing is enormous.”

Some 71 people – air crew, club officials, players and journalists – died in the crash when Chapecoense were flying to play Atletico Nacional in the first leg of the final of the Copa Sudamericana.

Luiz Antonio Palaro, deputy legal director of Chapecoense, refuted any suggestion of club responsibility.

He said: “The lawyer is entitled to do what he wants. But we are not responsible for the accident; We are victims too. The ideal is to unite to fight with insurers, the airline and the Bolivian government.

“The club is not directly responsible. The club offered to take the journalists because there were vacant seats but no-one was forced to board the flight.”

Families of players and club officials had received compensation in the sum of two years’ salaries from Chapecoense plus a further year funded by the Brazilian football confederation.

##############