Christian Atsu, a soccer player for Ghana, has been found dead, according to his agent, who made the announcement on Saturday. After the catastrophic earthquake that shook Turkey and Syria, Atsu had gone missing.
Under the debris of a luxurious 12-story building where he had been staying in the hard-hit city of Antakya, Hatay province, the soccer star’s remains were discovered.
He had been playing for Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor. When his remains were discovered, his family members who had come at the scene to wait by the wreckage had all had their dreams dashed.
“Atsu’s lifeless body was found under the rubble. At the moment, his belongings are still being removed,” his agent Murat Uzunmehmet, told private news agency DHA.
When more bodies are discovered by search teams, the dead toll from the 7.8 earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6th has surpassed 43,000.
Atsu, 31, played for Chelsea, Newcastle United, Everton, and Bournemouth in the English Premier League before joining Hatayspor last year from Saudi Arabian team Al Raed FC.
Atsu was reportedly rescued alive from the wreckage of a fallen building and transported to a hospital for treatment, according to reports made a day after the earthquake.
Atsu and Taner Savut, the club’s sporting director, were still missing, Hatayspor said a few days later. After spending a season with the Saudi Arabian team Al-Raed, Atsu joined Hatayspor in September 2022. On February 5, he scored the game-winning goal in a Super Lig match.
He played for Ghana on 65 occasions and led his team to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final, where they were defeated by Ivory Coast on penalties.
