Turkey earthquake: footballer Christian Atsu found injured but alive

Good news from Turkey, among the bad news that has been accumulating since Monday's disaster.

According to an official from Hatayspor, the Turkish club where he has played since last year, Christian Atsu, 31, the former Chelsea and Newcastle player, was found alive after spending several hours under the rubble, after the violent earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria.

The good news concerning the Ghanaian international was communicated on a Turkish radio this Tuesday morning.

“Christian Atsu was released injured, specifies the director of Hataysport on Radyo Gol.

Our sporting director, Taner Savut, is unfortunately still under the rubble.

Hatay was deeply affected.

We are heading towards the end of the most dangerous hours.

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According to the latest official report, the two earthquakes that struck southeastern Turkey and Syria on Monday left 4,300 dead and more than 16,000 injured in Turkey and more than 1,500 dead in Syria.

All competitions have of course been interrupted for research and mourning.

Several players from Hatay, an Atsu club located near the Mediterranean Sea, were directly or indirectly affected by the earthquake.

Thus, Kerim Ali managed to extract himself from the rubble by his own means.

Bertug Yildirim and Burak Öksüz were rescued.

Onur Ergün reported that he was alive.

On Monday, the Malatyaspor club expressed their deep concern over Eyup Turkaslan.

His goalkeeper was trapped in the rubble and gave no sign of life, while his wife was able to be extracted alive.