The envoy confirmed that Christian Atsu was found alive amidst the devastation of the earthquake.© Twitter
Ghana’s ambassador to Turkey said on Tuesday that Ghana national team player and former Newcastle midfielder Christian Atsu was found alive in the rubble of an earthquake that killed more than 4,800 people in Turkey and neighboring Syria. Atsu, 31, joined Turkish Super League side Hatayspor in September and is based in the southern province of Hatay, near the epicenter of Monday’s massive earthquake. “I have good news coming. I just got word from the president of the Ghanaian Association that Christian Atsu was found in Hatay,” Francisca Ashietey-Odunton told Accra-based Radio Asaase, referring to the local Ghanaian Community Association .
The envoy did not elaborate further on his condition.
Hatayspor official Mustafa Ozat told the Play Spor streaming channel on Monday that Atsu was still in the rubble and was trying to escape.
Atsu spent five seasons with Newcastle after an initial season on loan before heading to Saudi Arabia in 2021.
In September 2019, he won the last of 60 caps for the Ghana national team.
“Our prayers go out to Ghanaian international Christian Aso and the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria,” the Ghana Football Federation said on Twitter.
Dozens of countries have offered aid since the 7.8-magnitude quake struck early Monday while people were still asleep. Cold weather hampered emergency efforts.
More than 5,600 buildings were in ruins in Turkey, including multi-storey apartment blocks full of residents. Meanwhile, dozens of collapses were announced in Syria.
(This story was not edited by NDTV staff and was automatically generated from syndicated feeds.)
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