Former Chelsea forward Atsu rescued after Turkey earthquake

By: Gerald Imray, The Associated Press Posted: 3:27 AM CST Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023 Last Modified: 9:50 AM CST Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023

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Former Chelsea and Newcastle forward Christian Atsu was rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building following the deadly earthquake that struck Turkey, the Ghana Football Association said in a Twitter post Tuesday.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/02/2023 (1333 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On Thursday, Atsu’s club and agent said his well-being and whereabouts were unknown.

The Ghana international plays for Turkish club Hatayspor. A club spokesman on Monday told Turkish media that Atsu was thought to be in a building that was brought down by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks that struck southeastern Turkey and neighboring Syria.

FILE - Chelsea's Pedro, left, and Newcastle United's Christian Atsu vie for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, on, Jan. 12, 2019. Former Chelsea and Newcastle forward Christian Atsu is missing and believed to be trapped under rubble following the powerful earthquake that struck Turkey on Monday and left more than 2,500 people dead. The Ghana international plays for Turkish club Hatayspor and a club spokesman says he is thought to be in a building that was destroyed. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

Atsu’s whereabouts and condition were unconfirmed overnight until the Ghana FA posted an update on its official Twitter site on Tuesday saying: “We’ve received some positive news that Christian Atsu has been successfully rescued.”

The 31-year-old Atsu joined Hatayspor, which is based in the southern city of Antakya, last year.

The quake hit early Monday and was centered in Turkey’s southeastern province of Kahramanmaras. It was felt as far away as Cairo in Egypt. Multiple aftershocks caused more destruction.

Later Tuesday, second-division club Yeni Malatyaspor confirmed that 28-year-old goalkeeper Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan died following the earthquake.

More than 6,000 buildings collapsed in Turkey alone and rescuers are racing to find survivors in freezing temperatures. Officials say as many as 1,500 buildings were destroyed in the Hatay province, just southwest of the earthquake’s epicenter and where the Hatayspor club is based.

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