Atsu was supposed to leave southern Turkey hours before the tremors, but... the Ghanaian chose to stay after...
Christian Atsu, ex-Newcastle player found dead in Turkey
Ghanaian player Christian Atsu, 31, was discovered dead under the wreckage of the building he lived in in southern Turkey after last week's devastating earthquakes, according to his Turkish agency and club on Saturday.
The former Premier League footballer, who joined Turkish club Hatayspor last year, has been missing since the earthquakes that rocked southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6.
Atsu was supposed to leave southern Turkey hours before the tremors, but Hatayspor's management revealed on Friday that the Ghanaian chose to stay after scoring the game-winning goal in a Super Lig match on February 5.
“Atsu’s lifeless body was found under the rubble,” Hatay agent Murat Uzunmehmet told reporters.
“Currently, more items are still being taken out. His phone was also found.”
Atsu's body was discovered in the ruins of Ronesans Residence, a luxurious 12-story building where he had been staying in Antakya, Hatay province.
According to the official news agency Anadolu, the building's contractor was detained at Istanbul airport last week while attempting to flee the country for Montenegro.
The funeral of our football player Christian Atsu, who lost his life under the rubble ( debris), is on his way to be sent to his hometown, Ghana. We will not forget you, Atsu. Peace be upon you, beautiful person. There are no words to describe our sadness.
— Hatayspor (@Hatayspor_FK) February 18, 2023
REST in PEACE ATSU
'We will not forget you'
On social media, tributes to Atsu came in, including poignant words from his former teams.
“We will not forget you, Atsu. Peace be upon you, beautiful person. There are no words to describe our sadness,” Hatayspor wrote on Twitter.
Newcastle praised him as “a talented player and a special person, he will always be fondly remembered by our players, staff and supporters”.
Atsu earned 65 caps for Ghana and helped the team to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final, where they were defeated on penalties by Ivory Coast. He was last called up to the Ghana national team in 2019.
“We would like to express our deepest condolences to his wife and children, the family, loved ones and the football community,” the Ghana Football Association stated.
Everyone at Chelsea Football Club is devastated to learn of the tragic passing of our former player, Christian Atsu. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 18, 2023
He joined Chelsea from Porto in 2013 and has had loan spells at Vitesse and Bournemouth.
“Chelsea sends our heartfelt condolences to Christian’s family and friends and to all those affected by the earthquake tragedy,” the London club stated in a statement.
Everton also issued a statement on Twitter, stating it was "deeply saddened" by Atsu's passing.
“Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues at Hatayspor and everyone affected by this tragic event that has claimed so many lives,” they stated.
More than 45,000 people were murdered in earthquakes that slammed Turkey and Syria, and the death toll is anticipated to grow higher, with 264,000 apartments demolished in Turkey and many more still missing.
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