Ankara: Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu, has been found dead in southern Turkey under the rubble of the building he lived in, after the devastating earthquakes, his Turkish agent said on Saturday.
Christian Atsu has been missing since earthquakes devastated southern Turkey and northwestern Syria on February 6.
Ghanaian footballer’s agent, Nana Sechere, tweeted, “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce to all well wishers that sadly Christian Atsu’s body was recovered this morning My deepest condolences go to his family and loved ones. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their prayers and support.”
“I ask that whilst we make the necessary arrangements, that everyone would please respect the privacy of the family during this very difficult time,” Nana added.
Heartfelt messages poured in for Christian Atsu on social media platforms, including from his former clubs.
“We will not forget you, Atsu. Peace be upon you, beautiful person. There are no words to describe our sadness,” Hatayspor said on Twitter.
Newcastle tweeted, “We are profoundly saddened to learn that Christian Atsu has tragically lost his life in Turkey’s devastating earthquakes. A talented player and a special person, he will always be fondly remembered by our players, staff and supporters. Rest in peace, Christian.”
“Everyone at Chelsea Football Club is devastated to learn of the tragic passing of our former player, Christian Atsu. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends,” Chalsea FC tweeted.
The plane that carried the body landed in Accra at 19:25 on Sunday GMT, where the player’s relatives, government officials and representatives of the Ghana Football Association were waiting for it. The coffin was later transferred to the morgue of a military hospital.
The 31-year-old moved in September 2022 from the Saudi club Al-Raed to Hatayspor, which is located in the southern province of Hatay near the epicenter of the devastating earthquakes.
Atsu spent five seasons at Newcastle between 2016 and 2021 before moving to Al-Raed club. Hours before the earthquake, Atsu scored the winning goal for his team in the seventh minute of stoppage time from a free kick against Kasimpasa Club (1-0) in the Turkish League.
Atsu won 65 matches for Ghana and helped them reach the final of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, where they lost to Ivory Coast on penalties. He was last selected to play for Ghana in 2019.
The footballer joined the list of victims of the two devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, killing more than 45,000 people in the two countries.
At dawn on Monday, February 6, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria, followed hours later by another 7.6-magnitude earthquake and violent aftershocks, leaving huge losses of lives and property in both countries.
