Former Newcastle winger Christian Atsu has died in the recent earthquake in Turkey.
The Ghana international was most recently with Hatayspor and was caught up in the devastating quake that hit parts of Turkey and Syria in the early hours of February 6. The 31-year-old had been reported missing in the aftermath as rescue workers searched for survivors. Reports had emerged that he had been found and taken to hospital, but the player and his club confirmed this week that those were untrue and they were still searching for Atsu.
Tragically, it has now been confirmed that the player’s body was recovered from the rubble of the collapsed building he had previously lived in. More than 42,000 lives have been claimed by the disaster while millions have been left homeless due to the damage done to cities and towns. Hatayspor’s sporting director Taner Savut lived in the same building as Atsu and is still missing.
