February 10 – Former Ghanaian winger Christian Atsu is still missing following the earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria despite earlier reports the 31-year-old had been rescued.
Atsu’s well-being and whereabouts are unknown according to Hatayspor, the club he plays for.
On Tuesday, Atsu was reported to have been pulled alive from the rubble of a building in Turkey’s southern Hatay province and transported to hospital. But 24 hours later, Hatayspor coach Volkan Demirel said the search for Atsu was continuing.
“There is no information on his whereabouts yet, we don’t know where he is,” Demirel told Reuters. “It’s not the case that he was pulled out or taken anywhere else.”
Hatayspor’s doctor Gurbey Kahveci told Turkish media they could not locate Atsu.
“[The club was told Atsu] ‘was taken to Dortyol Hospital’, and when the news came, we went and looked, but he is not there,” Kahveci said.
Atsu’s image agent Gaynor Frascione told AFP: “Everyone is trying to locate in which medical centre he could be.
“We don’t know [if he’s still alive]. There were also 18 Ghanaian students in this building, the ambassador for Turkey said he was rescued, a doctor made a statement, but it’s complete mayhem.”
Atsu spent four seasons at Chelsea before a permanent transfer to Newcastle in 2017. He signed in September for Hatayspor, based in Hatay, near the epicentre of the earthquake.
He wore the last of his 60 Ghana national caps in September 2019.
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