Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu’s body found in rubble of Turkey earthquake: report

The body of former Ghana international Christian Atsu has been found in Turkey following a major earthquake, local media reported on Saturday, quoting his manager. Atsu, 31, was caught in a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on February 6, killing more than 43,000 people in both countries. There were initial reports that he had been rescued the day after the earthquake, but these turned out to be false. His manager in Turkey, Murat Uzunmehmet, told the DHA news agency on Saturday that his body was found under rubble in Turkey’s southern province of Hatay. Uzunmehmet told the DHA, “We have reached his dead body. His belongings are still being removed. His phone has also been found.”

Midfielder Atsu spent four seasons at Chelsea before a permanent transfer to Newcastle in 2017. He signed for Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor in September.

Search and rescue workers found Atsu’s body where he was staying at the Ronasons Residence, a block of high-rise luxury flats that collapsed in Hatay’s downtown Antakya.

Turkish police arrested the building’s contractor at Istanbul airport last week as he was on his way to Montenegro, according to state news agency Anadolu.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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