Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu, 31, has been discovered useless in southern Turkey beneath the rubble of the constructing he lived in, after final week’s huge earthquakes, his Turkish agent and membership mentioned on Saturday.
The previous Premier League participant, who joined Turkish membership Hatayspor final 12 months, had been lacking because the February 6 earthquakes devastated southern Turkey and northwestern Syria.
“Atsu’s lifeless physique was discovered beneath the rubble,” agent Murat Uzunmehmet informed reporters in Hatay.
“Presently, extra gadgets are nonetheless being taken out. His telephone was additionally discovered.”
Search groups recovered Atsu’s physique within the ruins of Ronesans Residence, a luxurious 12-storey constructing the place he had been dwelling, within the metropolis of Antakya in Hatay province.
The constructing’s contractor was arrested at Istanbul airport final week whereas apparently making an attempt to go away the nation for Montenegro, in keeping with state information company Anadolu.
The funeral of our soccer participant Christian Atsu, who misplaced his life beneath the rubble ( particles), is on his method to be despatched to his hometown, Ghana. We is not going to overlook you, Atsu. Peace be upon you, lovely particular person. There are not any phrases to explain our unhappiness.
REST in PEACE ATSU— Hatayspor (@Hatayspor_FK) February 18, 2023
Atsu had been scheduled to fly out of southern Turkey hours earlier than the earthquakes, however Hatayspor’s supervisor mentioned on Friday that the Ghanaian opted to stick with the membership after scoring the successful aim in a Tremendous Lig match on February 5.
Ghana’s ministry of overseas affairs mentioned it had “obtained the unlucky information”.
“The elder brother and twin sister of Christian Atsu and an officer of the (Ghanaian) embassy have been current on the website when the physique was recovered,” the ministry mentioned in an announcement.
Atsu joined Hatayspor final September after spells with English Premier League golf equipment Everton, Chelsea and Newcastle United.
There have been preliminary reviews that Atsu had been rescued a day after the quakes, however these turned out to be false.
‘We is not going to overlook you’
Tributes poured in for Atsu on social media, together with heartfelt messages from his former golf equipment.
“We is not going to overlook you, Atsu. Peace be upon you, lovely particular person. There are not any phrases to explain our unhappiness,” Hatayspor mentioned on Twitter.
Newcastle described him as “a proficient participant and a particular particular person, he’ll all the time be fondly remembered by our gamers, employees and supporters”.
Atsu received 65 caps for Ghana and helped them attain the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations remaining, the place they misplaced to Ivory Coast on penalties. He was final chosen to play for Ghana in 2019.
“We wish to categorical our deepest condolences to his spouse and kids, the household, family members and the soccer neighborhood,” mentioned the Ghana Soccer Affiliation.
Everybody at Chelsea Soccer Membership is devastated to study of the tragic passing of our former participant, Christian Atsu. Our ideas exit to his household and associates.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 18, 2023
He joined Chelsea from Porto in 2013 and had a number of mortgage spells at golf equipment together with Vitesse and Bournemouth.
“Chelsea sends our heartfelt condolences to Christian’s household and associates and to all these affected by the earthquake tragedy,” the London membership mentioned.
Everton additionally launched an announcement on Twitter, saying the membership was “deeply saddened” by the information of Atsu’s demise.
“Our ideas are together with his household, associates, colleagues at Hatayspor and everybody affected by this tragic occasion that has claimed so many lives,” they mentioned.
Greater than 45,000 individuals have been killed within the earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria, and the toll is predicted to rise additional with some 264,000 flats in Turkey destroyed and many individuals nonetheless lacking.
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