Body recovered from wreckage of footballer Sala’s plane
AUTHORITIES have recovered a body from the seabed wreckage of a plane that was carrying soccer player Emiliano Sala and his pilot.
However, British air accident investigators have yet to say whether the body was that of Sala, who had just signed for Premier League club Cardiff, or pilot David Ibbotson. They were the only two people onboard the small aircraft that disappeared from radar over the English Channel last month.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch said the body was recovered in “challenging conditions” with the “operation was carried out in as dignified a way as possible and the families were kept informed of progress.”
The body will be handed over to a coroner, and police are expected to provide a confirmed identity of the body after a full examination.
Investigators have not been able to recover the aircraft which was flying from Nantes to Cardiff after Sala transferred from the French city’s team to the Welsh capital’s Premier League club. However, the AAIB says that video from a remote underwater vehicle “is expected to provide valuable evidence for our safety investigation.”
The remains of the plane were discovered on Sunday.
Meanwhile, a dispute broke out between Cardiff City and
‘The operation was carried outinas dignified awayas possible’
Nantes over Sala’s €17m transfer fee.
The BBC yesterday reported that the French club had demanded payment for the Argentinian player, who was due to join the Premier League strugglers last month.
Cardiff City have withheld the first scheduled payment until they are satisfied with the documentation. The transfer fee is due to be paid in instalments over three years.
It is understood Nantes are threatening legal action if they do not receive a payment within 10 days.
A source at Cardiff told the BBC they would honour the contract but not until they have clarified “all the facts”.