According to sources, Christian Atsu, a former Premier League footballer, is one of the people trapped under debris in Turkey following a major earthquake.
Atsu, a former player for Chelsea and Newcastle United, was caught up in the 7.7 magnitude earthquake, and a search and rescue effort is currently underway. Last summer, the 65-cap Ghanaian international signed with Super Lig club Hataysport.
After the earthquake, several members of his new team needed to be saved, and now that a search and rescue operation has begun, Atsu is reportedly one of those who are still missing. Taner Savut, the club’s sporting director, is also trapped as rescue efforts continue.
Atsu was a young player when he first transferred from Porto to Chelsea in 2013, and he later went on several loans. Prior to moving permanently to Newcastle United in 2017, having never played a Premier League game for Chelsea, he briefly played for Everton and Bournemouth.
He joined the Saudi club Al-Raed after playing more than 100 games for the Magpies in 2021, although he later left the Middle East for Turkey in the summer. Just hours before the earthquake hit, he scored his first goal for the team this past weekend.
According to officials, the calamity has claimed the lives of over 1,300 people and injured 6,000 more.
Hours after the initial earthquake, a large aftershock with a magnitude of 7.5 struck southern Turkey. According to reports, it was once more felt in both Iraqi Kurdistan and Syria.
