Atsu found dead under rubble in earthquake

Ghana winger Christian Atsu has been recovered dormant nether the gathering wherever helium lived successful confederate Turkey aft past week's monolithic earthquake, his Turkish cause said connected Saturday.

Atsu, who was 31, had been missing since the Feb. 6 earthquake pursuing the illness of an flat gathering successful Hatay.

"Atsu's lifeless assemblage was recovered nether the rubble," Murat Uzunmehmet told reporters successful Hatay. "Currently, much items are inactive being taken out. His telephone was besides found."

Antakya, the metropolis wherever Hatayspor is based, is successful the confederate portion of Turkey hardest deed by the earthquake.

Atsu had been scheduled to alert retired of confederate Turkey hours earlier the quake, but Hatayspor's manager said connected Friday the Ghanaian opted to enactment with the nine aft scoring the winning extremity successful a Feb. 5 Super Lig match.

Atsu joined Hatayspor successful September past twelvemonth aft spells with English Premier League clubs Everton, Chelsea and Newcastle United.

"We volition not hide you, Atsu. Peace beryllium upon you, beauteous person. There are nary words to picture our sadness," Hatayspor wrote connected Twitter.

Newcastle besides paid tribute connected their authoritative website: "A talented subordinate and a peculiar person, helium volition ever beryllium fondly remembered by our players, unit and supporters."

Atsu won 65 caps for Ghana and helped them scope the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final, wherever they mislaid to Ivory Coast connected penalties. He was past selected to play for Ghana successful 2019.

He joined Chelsea from Porto successful 2013 and had respective indebtedness spells astatine clubs including Vitesse and Bournemouth.

"Chelsea sends our heartfelt condolences to Christian's household and friends and to each those affected by the earthquake tragedy," the London nine said connected Saturday.

A time aft the earthquake, reports circulated that Atsu had been rescued pursuing accusation that Hatayspor had received, nevertheless they aboriginal said the reports were heartbreakingly mistaken and the subordinate was inactive missing.

It had besides said the club's sporting director, Taner Savut, was inactive missing. Savut has not been found.

The contractor of the 12-story Ronesans Rezidans gathering -- wherever Atsu and Savut lived -- was detained astatine Istanbul Airport a week ago, seemingly trying to permission the country.

More than 45,000 radical person been killed successful the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, and the toll is expected to emergence with immoderate 264,000 apartments successful Turkey destroyed and galore inactive missing successful the country's worst modern disaster.

Information from Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report.