Ghanaian football star Atsu found alive in Turkey quake wreckage

Ghana Football Association has confirmed that national player Christian Atsu had been found alive.

According to the association he had been trapped in the rubble of an earthquake that killed more than 4,800 people in Turkey and neighbouring Syria.

The former Newcastle United who plies his trade for Hatayspor, was reported missing in Turkey’s Hatay province following the magnitude 7.8 quake and its aftershocks that brought down thousands of buildings, killing some 5,000 people, in several Turkish and Syrian cities on Monday.

Atsu, 31, joined Turkish Süper Lig side Hatayspor in September, based in the southern province of Hatay near the epicenter of Monday’s massive quake.

Officials say as many as 1,500 buildings were destroyed in Hatay province.

Atsu played in the English Premier League for Newcastle United and Everton, on loan from Chelsea, and joined Hatayspor in September.

He was last selected to play for Ghana in 2019 but has not officially retired from international football.

Atsu spent five seasons at Newcastle after an initial campaign on loan before leaving for Saudi Arabia in 2021.

He won the last of his 60 Ghana national caps in September 2019.