Ex-Chelsea player Christian Atsu found dead in Turkey Earthquake, manager confirms
Christian Atsu's agent has confirmed that the 31-year-old has been found dead. He went missing on February 6, after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Turkey.
- SportFit
- 2 min read
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Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu’s agent has reportedly confirmed that the 31-year-old footballer has been found dead. The former Chelsea footballer went missing after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook Syria and Turkey in the early hours of February 6, with several tremors following throughout the day. Several reports in the aftermath of the catastrophic event said the player was found alive the same day, but it remained unconfirmed by Hatayspor, his current club.
Atsu’s manager Murat Uzunmehmet took to his official Twitter handle on Saturday to confirm the unfortunate development. “Christian Atsu found and sadly passed away,” the managerwrote. It is pertinent to mention that his teammates and club staff were pulled out from the rubble. Atsu represented the Turkish club Hatayspor since September 2022. However, official confirmation from the club and official authorities are still awaited.
The club is based in the southern city of Antakya, near the epicenter of the earthquake, that hit in the early hours of February 6 and devastated the region. As reported by the Associated Press, the death toll due to the earthquake in Turkey and Syria has reached 43,360 two weeks after the event. The earthquake is being said to be the deadliest disaster in Turkey’s modern history.
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
Chelsea and Newcastle spoke about Christian Atsu going missing
After Atsu went missing on February 6, tributes for the 31-year-old overflowed on Twitter. The Ghana footballer has had a successful career in club football in Premier League with Chelsea, Everton, and Newcastle. The midfielder has also had notable spells in Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and more.
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Chelsea and Newcastle took to their official Twitter handle expressing concern about Atsu’s whereabouts. “The thoughts of everyone at Chelsea Football Club are with those affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. We're praying for you, Christian Atsu,” Chelsea said. At the same time, Newcastle shared a picture of Atsu and said, “Praying for some positive news, @ChristianAtsu20”.