Christian Atsu still missing – Hatayspor team doctor
SOURCE: EMMANUEL AYAMGA
The team doctor of Hatayspor, Gurbey Kahveci, has suggested that reports that Christian Atsu has been found might have been due to mistaken identity.
According to him, the club is now resigned to the fact that both Atsu and sporting director Taner Savut remain missing.
On Monday, it emerged that Atsu had been trapped in the rubble after the devastating earthquake hit parts of Turkey.
Atsu, who currently plays for Turkish side Hatayspor, had been trapped under the rubble together with the club’s sporting director Taner Savut.
However, after hours of searching for the duo, it was reported on Tuesday morning that the Ghanaian had finally been found alive and is receiving treatment at a hospital.
Latest reports suggest the footballer’s whereabouts are yet to be accounted for, with Ghana’s Ambassador to Turkey confirming the same on Wednesday.
“When we heard the news that ‘he was taken to Dortyol Hospital’, we especially went and looked, but it was not there,” Hatayspor’s doctor Gurbey Kahveci told Hurrityet Turkey, as quoted by Joy Sports.
“At the moment, we accept that [the sporting director] Taner Savut and Christian Atsu were not found, unfortunate.”
Meanwhile, Ghana international Mubarak Wakaso and a close friend of Atsu has issued a statement calling for the footballer’s family to be granted their privacy in these trying times.
“Following yesterday’s update from the club that, Christian had been pulled out alive, we are yet to confirm Christian’s whereabouts,” Wakaso wrote in a statement shared on his Twitter page.
“As you can imagine, this continues to be a devastating time for his family and we are doing everything we can to locate Christian.
“Official updates will be provided as more information comes to light. Please respect the families’ privacy during this harrowing time, and refrain from spreading unsubstantiated news as this will only hamper the search efforts for Christian. Thank you for all your prayers and support.”
Meanwhile, reports from Turkey suggest the earthquake has disrupted telecommunication networks in Hatayspor, which has made it difficult to communicate via telephone.