Former Premier League Star Christian Atsu Found Dead After Being Missing in Turkey Quake
Christian Atsu was discovered dead 12 days after the earthquake in Turkey, his manager confirmed today.
The 31-year-old ex-Newcastle and Chelsea player perished in the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, killing over 43,000 individuals.
Saturday, after 12 days of desperate searching, Atsu’s manager reported that his body was tragically discovered buried in the rubble.
Murat Uzunmehmet told reporters in Hatay, “Atsu’s lifeless body was found under the rubble.”
“Currently, additional items are being removed. His phone was also discovered.”
Rescue workers discovered Atsu’s body at Ronesans Residence in Antakya, Hatay, where he was staying. Ronesans Residence is a block of high-rise luxury apartments that collapsed.
The initial reports that the midfielder had been rescued one day after the earthquake proved to be false.
Earlier footage depicted rescuers using searchlights to sift through the rubble of Atsu’s apartment building during the first night of the natural disaster.
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His voice, along with that of Hatayspor’s Sporting Director Taner Savut, was then reportedly heard in the rubble.
Atsu, who has three children with his wife Marie-Claire, was scheduled to depart Turkey hours before the earthquake.
The manager of Hatayspor stated that the Ghanaian star opted to remain with the club after scoring the game-winning goal in a Super Lig match on February 5.
Atsu spent four years at Chelsea before his 2017 permanent transfer to Newcastle.
He signed with Turkish Super League club Hatayspor in September.
Several members of his new team had to be rescued from their homes following the 4 am local time earthquake.
The massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck on February 6 at dawn.
24 hours after the initial earthquake, two more tremors struck, leaving a path of destruction.
It is now believed that over 43,000 people have perished.
In addition, freezing conditions and the difficulty of delivering aid to remote areas are fueling a humanitarian catastrophe.
Muhannad Hadi, the regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria at the United Nations, stated that the death toll is likely to rise as teams scramble to reach buildings in hard-hit areas.
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