Soccer Star Christian Atsu Rescued From Rubble After Turkey Earthquake
Soccer Star Christian Atsu Rescued From Rubble ... After Turkey Earthquake
UPDATE
5:46 AM PT -- 2/7 -- Christian Atsu has, thankfully, been found alive -- the vice president of the soccer star's Turkish club, Hatayspor, told reporters Tuesday he was rescued from the rubble.
UPDATE
The Hatayspor official said Atsu was found injured -- though it's unclear to what extent.
UPDATE
The Ghana Football Association sent out a tweet Tuesday celebrating the news -- adding, "Let’s continue to pray for Christian."
Former Premier League star Christian Atsu, who played for Chelsea and Newcastle, is missing after a massive earthquake hit Turkey on Monday ... with multiple outlets reporting he's feared to be trapped underneath rubble.
The 7.8-magnitude quake rocked the country at 4:17 AM -- killing scores of people and leveling buildings ... and according to local reports out of Turkey, Atsu has not been seen or heard from since the shaking began.
Newcastle officials tweeted they're "praying for some positive news." The Ghana Football Association added in a tweet of its own, "Our thoughts and prayers are with Christian Atsu and our brothers and sisters in Turkey and Syria. We remain hopeful for positive news."
Atsu, a 31-year-old winger, joined Turkish club Hatayspor back in September ... and had just played in a game for them hours before the earthquake on Sunday night, scoring a goal.
Ghanaian 🇬🇭 player Christian Atsu scored last minute goal for his club to win yesterday, and less than 24hrs he can’t be found as reported.
— Africa News 360 (@africanewz360) February 6, 2023 @africanewz360
Pray for Christian Atsu pic.twitter.com/g03BmXcNFG
He had previously played for Al-Raed in Saudi Arabia in 2021-22.
According to reports, more than 2,300 people have died due to Monday's earthquake ... with many more missing -- as search and rescue efforts remain ongoing.
Originally Published -- 2/6 7:54 AM PT
