The whereabouts of Christian Atsu, knowledgeable soccer participant for the Turkish membership Hatayspor, remained unknown on Wednesday, membership officers mentioned, regardless of their earlier statements that he had been rescued from the rubble of the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria and was receiving medical therapy.
It was unclear whether or not Mr. Atsu, a Ghanaian nationwide, was nonetheless trapped beneath the rubble in Hatay Province, Turkey, or whether or not he had been eliminated however couldn’t be situated within the area’s overwhelmed hospitals. Hatay was one of many hardest-hit areas and had one of many highest dying tolls from the earthquake.
Mustafa Ozat, the workforce’s vice chairman, mentioned the knowledge he had been given when he advised a radio station on Tuesday that Mr. Atsu had been rescued was incorrect.
“I had obtained info that Christian Atsu was faraway from the rubble. Nevertheless, the knowledge obtained in the intervening time is that Atsu and our director Taner Savut are below the rubble,” Mr. Ozat advised the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet on Wednesday.
Ghana’s ambassador to Turkey, Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, advised the Ghanaian media outlet Pleasure Sports activities on Wednesday that the Turkish overseas ministry was nonetheless trying to find Mr. Atsu in medical amenities, illustrating how troublesome it has change into to speak or confirm info amid the earthquake’s destruction.
Ms. Ashietey-Odunton was in Ankara, the Turkish capital, and couldn’t journey to Hatay herself due to highway and airport closures, she mentioned.
Within the hours earlier than the earthquake hit, Mr. Atsu had scored a successful aim for Hatayspor in its match in opposition to a workforce from Istanbul. The destiny of Hatayspor’s different gamers stays unclear, and its supervisor, Volkan Demirel, has made public pleas for help.
“I believed the day of judgment had come. I instantly considered my gamers,” Mr. Demirel advised Hurriyet in regards to the second the earthquake hit.
“Could God not trigger such ache to anybody,” he added.
Seda Ozturk contributed translation.
