Former Chelsea winger Christian Atsu pulled alive from Turkey earthquake rubble

“Christian Atsu was pulled out injured. Our sporting director, Taner Savut, is unfortunately still under the rubble,” club vice president Mustafa Ozat told Radyo Gol.

Atsu, 31, played in the Premier League for Newcastle United and Everton and joined Hatayspor in September. | Photo Credit: SCOTT HEPPELL

Ghana international winger Christian Atsu has been found alive after being buried under rubble in the earthquake that hit Turkey, the vice president of his club Hatayspor told media on Tuesday.

Atsu was reported missing in Turkey’s Hatay province following the 7.8 magnitude quake that brought down thousands of buildings, killing some 5,000 people, in several Turkish and Syrian cities on Monday.

“Christian Atsu was pulled out injured. Our sporting director, Taner Savut, is unfortunately still under the rubble,” club vice president Mustafa Ozat told Radyo Gol.

Atsu, 31, played in the Premier League for Newcastle United and Everton and joined Hatayspor in September. He was last selected to play for Ghana in 2019, but has not officially retired from international football.

Ozat told BeIN Sports on Monday that several players and officials had been rescued from the rubble.

Second-tier Turkish club Yeni Malatyaspor confirmed on Twitter later on Tuesday that their goalkeeper Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan had died in the earthquake.