A former World Cup star is believed to be trapped under the rubble of the deadly earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria early Monday and has already claimed 2,700 lives, according to a report.
Former Premier League member Christian Atsu, 31, is among the missing in Turkey, and has yet to be accounted for following the 7.8 magnitude tremor, News AU reported.
Originally from Ghana, Atsu plays soccer for the Turkish League team Hatayspor in the southern city of Antakya, which was decimated by the quake.
Many of his teammates have been rescued, but Atsu is still missing, the team’s sporting director Taner Savut said, according to News AU.
The Former Newcastle United winger had just scored a last-minute goal Sunday to lead Hatayspor to victory. He played for Ghana in the 2014 World Cup and won best player at the 2015 African Cup of Nations.
Atsu is married with two children, and it is unclear if his family was with him in Turkey at the time of the earthquake.
Officials said Monday the death toll in Turkey has reached at least 1,600, and another 1,000 people have died in Syria.
Here’s the latest coverage on the Turkey-Syria earthquake:
- Turkey hit by new 6.4-magnitude earthquake near Syrian border
- Turkish officials to largely end search for victims from earthquake as death toll tops 46K
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken tours Turkey quake devastation
The number of fatalities is expected to rise significantly, as rescuers struggle to search through the rubble and widespread devastation. The situation was made worse when a second earthquake of almost the same magnitude struck Monday afternoon.
Temperatures are likely to reach near-freezing as night falls again in the region, making it even difficult for the millions effected by the tremor.
With Post wires.
