Former Ghana international Christian Atsu was found dead on Saturday, almost two weeks after the devastating earthquake in Turkey.
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Atsu, 31, was caught up in the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, killing more than 43,000 people in both countries.
There were initial reports that the former Chelsea and Newcastle player had been rescued a day after the quake, but this turned out to be false.
His manager in Turkey, Murat Uzunmehmet, told the DHA news agency on Saturday that his body was found under the rubble of a collapsed luxury apartment in Turkey’s southern Hatay province.
“We have reached his lifeless body. His belongings are still being removed. The phone was also found,” Uzunmehmet told DHA.
Ghana’s foreign ministry said it had “received unpleasant news”.
“Christian Atsu’s elder brother and twin sister and embassy officials (of Ghana) were at the site when the body was recovered,” the ministry said in a statement.
Ghana said it was working with the Turkish government to arrange for the body to be transported back to Atsu’s home country for burial.
Midfielder Atsu scored the last of his 33 career goals for Hatayspor in the Turkish Super Lig on February 5, hours before the earthquake.
“There are no words to describe our sadness,” tweeted the Turkish top-flight club.
– ‘special people’-
“We will never forget you, Atsu. Goodbye, beautiful.”
Earlier in his career, he spent four seasons at Chelsea, mostly on loan, before making a permanent move to Newcastle in 2017.
Chelsea released a statement saying: “It is with great sadness that Chelsea Football Club has received the news that Christian Atsu has been confirmed as one of the many victims of the terrible earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.”
Newcastle also paid tribute to a “talented player and special person”.
The club added: “He will always be remembered by the players, staff and supporters.
“Initially joining on loan, he played a key role in the Magpies’ Championship-winning squad in 2017 before making a permanent move to help us regain our place in the Premier League.”
At the international level Atsu earned his first of 65 senior caps with Ghana in 2012.
At the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, he scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Guinea in the quarter-finals. The Black Stars reached the final, losing on penalties to Ivory Coast with Atsu picking up Player and Goal of the tournament awards.
He was also part of the Ghana squad at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Search and rescue workers found Atsu’s body where he was staying at Ronesans Residence, a collapsed high-end luxury flat block in Hatay’s Antakya city.
Turkish police arrested the building contractor at Istanbul airport last week because he appeared to be traveling to Montenegro, according to state news agency Anadolu.
African football governing body CAF said it was mourning the “tragic death of Christian Atsu” while the Ghana Football Federation noted the “sad news” had come “after almost two weeks of emotional torture”.
Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo said that “football has lost one of its best personnel and ambassadors, who will be difficult to replace”.
Born on January 10, 1992, in the coastal town of Ada Foah Atsu is survived by his wife and three children.