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Ghana player Atsu found alive in earthquake rubble

ISTANBUL: Ghana national player and former Newcastle midfielder Christian Atsu has been found alive in the rubble of an earthquake that killed more than 4,800 people in Turkey and neighbouring Syria, Ghana’s ambassador to Turkey said yesterday.

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

“I have good news coming. I am just getting information from the president of the Ghana association that Christian Atsu has been found in Hatay,” Francisca Ashietey-Odunton told Accra-based Asaase Radio, referring to a local Ghanaian community association.

The envoy gave no further details on his condition.

Hatayspor official Mustafa Ozat told Play Spor streaming channel on Monday that Atsu was still in the rubble and was trying to escape.

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.

“We pray for Ghana International Christian Atsu and victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria,” the Ghana Football Association said on Twitter.

Dozens of nations have offered aid since the 7.8-magnitude quake struck early on Monday as people were sleeping. Freezing weather has hampered emergency efforts.

Multi-storey apartment buildings full of residents were among the more than 5,600 structures reduced to rubble in Turkey, while Syria announced dozens of collapses.

All Turkish club football games have been postponed, the football federation announced in the wake of the earthquake that killed more than 2,300 in the country and Syria on Monday.

“All planned competitions have been postponed to a later date,” the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) tweeted.

“We wish God’s mercy to our citizens who lost their lives in the earthquake that has plunged our country into mourning, our condolences to their families, relatives and our nation, and a speedy recovery to our wounded,” said the TFF tweet.

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2023-02-08T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-02-08T08:00:00.0000000Z

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