Soccer star Atsu found dead after earthquakes
THE agent for Christian Atsu, the former Premier League soccer player who was reported missing in Türkiye amid the earthquake disaster, said his client’s body was found yesterday.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce to all wellwishers that sadly Christian Atsu’s body was recovered this morning,” Nana Sechere wrote in a tweet. “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.”
Atsu played in Ghana’s World Cup team in 2014. Before joining Hatayspor of the Turkish Super
Lig last year, he also played for Newcastle, Chelsea, Everton and Bournemouth in the Premier League, and had a brief stint with Saudi club Al Raed.
The soccer player’s whereabouts had been unknown for more than 10 days since the earthquakes this month devastated Türkiye and Syria, killing more than 43 000 people and leaving many more homeless.
The Ghana Football Association and Hatayspor confirmed his body was found yesterday. Hatayspor said the 31-year-old forward “lost his life under the rubble” and his body was being sent to Ghana for the funeral.
“We will not forget you, Atsu. Peace be upon you, beautiful person,” the club said. “There are no words to describe our sadness.”
Earlier this week, Atsu’s agent wrote that his room in a collapsed apartment building was located along with two pairs of his shoes in the hard-hit Hatay region in southern Türkiye. His partner, who lives in England, had told the BBC she was praying he was still alive and that their children had learned from the radio that he was still missing.
Rescuers in southern Türkiye are still finding people under the wreckage of the quakes, which levelled entire apartment complexes and worsened the plight of millions in neighbouring Syria who were already battered by war.
Hours before the temblors struck Türkiye, Atsu had scored the winning goal deep in stoppage time at Hatayspor’s Super Lig match against Kasimpasa.