Ghanaian Footballer, Atsu, Found Alive in Turkey, Syria Earthquake Rubble

7 February 2023

A former Ghana Black Stars player, Christian Atsu, has been found alive in the rubble of the residential building he was when earthquake caused it to collapse.

The former Málaga, Porto and Newcastle player is one of the few survivors found alive among the rubble of the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, causing more than 2,500 deaths so far.

According to 'A Bola', a Portuguese football publication, the now Hatayspor footballer, who disappeared among the ruins of the earthquake in the city of Hatay, is in the hospital injured in his right foot and having difficulty breathing.

Search and rescue teams searched for Atsu after the 7.5-magnitude earthquake that has affected southern Turkey and Syria.

According to A Bola, Atsu's companions, Onur Ergün and Burak Oksuz, were also found.

Kerim Alici emerged from the rubble under his own power. However, Hatayspor sporting director, Taner Savut, has not yet been located.

The testimony of Volkan Demirel, a former Fenerbahçe goalkeeper and now Hatayspor coach, crying his eyes out, moves: "Help. I want to ask you to send all the resources you have. It's not just Hatay or Antakya. Please, I'm asking you, for for God's sake, there are people dying here."

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.