DOOMED SALA FLIGHT ‘FREE’ TRIBUTES KIDS PLAN Texts reveal tragic player’s safe travel plan Crowdfunding to keep search going hits €240k His girlfriend: We were hoping to start a family
in Jersey or Guernsey. Emiliano is a soccer player who is at his best. His career had reached its maximum. He worked from a very young age to get to the Premier League and does not deserve this unhappy ending.” She added: “Our relationship was cut off, many dreams cut off, by this tragedy. I think we would have liked to start a family. I can’t think that he is gone.” Footballers and fans have helped raise €240,000 to pay for a private search. Emiliano’s family have praised the support of players like Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Man City’s Sergio Aguero for calling for the search to carry on. Berenice has also called for someone to be held responsible, saying: “This is not an accident, someone was irresponsible and someone has to face justice.” Reports suggest pilot David Ibbotson, 59, tried to take off from Nantes airport four times before finally getting airborne. The plane climbed to 5,000ft but later he asked Jersey air traffic control for permission to drop to 2,300ft. It vanished at 8.30pm, near Alderney. Guern- sey’s harbour master said a “difficult” decision was made to call off the search on Thursday, as the chances of survival were “extremely remote”.
But the texts now show Emiliano had been planning his own flight until Mr Mckay’s son Jack contacted him.
At 7.43pm the night before his trip to France, Jack texted: “My dad has told me you are going home tomorrow. He could organise a plane to take you direct to Nantes and come back on Monday, at a time that suits you, so you can get to training.”
Emiliano replied: “Ah that is great. I was just checking if there are some flights to get to Nantes tomorrow.”
When Sala asked: “How much will it cost?” he replied: “Nothing. He said if you help me to score goals it’s nothing.”
Man City held a minute’s silence for Emiliano at the Etihad Stadium yesterday ahead of their FA Cup clash with Burnley – and the club’s Ilkay Gundogan is among those who have contributed to the private search on Gofundme. A petition in France to have the search resumed has topped 80,000 names. Speaking at the Cardiff City Stadium, Emiliano’s sister Romina said: “We are thankful for the support of players in the way they have said that we should not stop our efforts. “We will find a way to restart the search. We are very humbled by the way people are helping.” Football agent Mr Mckay said in a statement: “We had no involvement in selecting a plane or a pilot and wish to make clear we do not own the plane Emiliano flew on. “As the text messages show, Emiliano was not asked for payment for the flight. “My sons, Mark, Jack and I and the rest of the Mckay family offer our sincere support for the Sala family and support their calls for the search to continue.” scoops@sundaymirror.co.uk