Christian Atsu pulled alive from Turkey earthquake rubble

Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu has been pulled from the rubble of two earthquakes that hit Turkey and northern Syria on Monday, as confirmed by his club manager. Hatayspor boss Mustafa Ozat claims that the former Newcastle United and Chelsea winger has been taken to hospital with injuries. 

The football world nervously waited for updates on Atsu’s situation after he and Hatayspor sporting director, Taner Savut, were not initially discovered while team-mates and members of the club’s technical staff were pulled from the wreckage on Monday. 

A huge 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit parts of Turkey and Syria early on Monday morning, followed by a devastating second quake of 7.5. Search and rescue teams were sent out to scour the region for survivors, with the current death toll thought to be approaching 5,000. 

Atsu was in action as recently as Sunday, scoring a sublime stoppage-time winner to beat Kasimpasa in the Turkish Super Lig. Reports emerged on Monday suggesting that the 31-year-old had been found, although they were unconfirmed by the club until Ozat spoke out on Tuesday.

“I just had another meeting,” he said, per journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu. “Christian Atsu was taken to hospital with injuries.” Savut’s situation remains critical, however, as Ozat added: “He is unfortunately still under the rubble. We are coming towards the end of the most dangerous hours.”

Atsu spent four years on Chelsea’s books earlier than his career, spending time on loan at Everton and Bournemouth before joining Newcastle permanently in 2017. He signed the Turkish side Hatayspor in September last year after a spell with Al-Raed in the Saudi Pro League.