Christian Atsu, a former player for Chelsea and Newcastle, is reported to be alive and recovering in a hospital after becoming trapped in the wreckage of a collapsed building during Monday’s 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Turkey.
The Ghanaian football player, who represents the Turkish team Hayatspor, is thought to have been one of thousands of people trapped in crumbling structures as a result of earthquakes in the southeast of the nation.
After being rescued by emergency personnel, the 31-year-old was taken to the hospital with breathing problems and a right foot injury, according to Portuguese sports website A Bola.
He was still reportedly stuck under debris when a search and rescue operation was believed to be underway, according to the vice-president of his club.
Following the devastating earthquake that shook Turkey and Syria overnight and levelled neighbourhoods while families slept, more than 3,500 people have died and many more have been injured.
A Bola claims that Atsu, a former player for Porto in Portugal, along with teammates Onur Ergun and Burak Oksuz, as well as athletic director Kerim Alici, were left stranded.
Atsu had given his team a thrilling late-game victory on Sunday night when they defeated Kasimpasa 1-0 at their Hayat stadium. According to reports, the earthquake spared the lives of all Kasimpasa staff members and athletes.
The 31-year-old joined Chelsea in 2013, although he never played a competitive minute for the team because he was loaned out to Everton and Newcastle for several seasons.
He only played five times for Everton, but while on loan at Newcastle, he made an impression that led to a permanent switch to the Magpies.
Atsu, who once represented Porto in Portugal, is alleged to have been trapped inside the structure together with teammates Onur Ergun and Burak Oksuz as well as sports director Kerim Alici.
Source: Daily Mail