CNN
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The agent of Ghanaian soccer star Christian Atsu says the participant’s whereabouts are nonetheless not identified, reversing course just some days after telling CNN Sport that the Hatayspor winger was rescued from rubble after being caught within the earthquakes that struck southern Turkey.
“I’m at present in Istanbul. The state of affairs stays the identical, Christian Atsu is but to be discovered. Until I see Christian, or communicate with him, I’ve no additional updates,” Nana Sechere mentioned on social media on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Sechere tweeted that it had come to mild, opposite to prior studies, that Atsu was nonetheless lacking.
“Following yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) replace from the membership that Christian had been pulled out alive, we’re but to verify Christian’s whereabouts. As you’ll be able to think about, this continues to be a devastating time for his household and we’re doing every little thing we will to find Christian,” he mentioned.
Sechere had initially advised CNN on Tuesday that he had “official affirmation” from Hatayspor that Atsu “was in hospital and that he’s steady.”
In a WhatsApp message to CNN on Thursday, Sechere mentioned that “each replace that I’ve supplied has come from my communications with the membership, the British Consulate in Istanbul, the Ghana Consulate, The Ministry of Well being, The Ministry of International Affairs and the Turkish Soccer Federation.
“I’m nonetheless unable to find Christian. All my efforts are targeted on discovering him.”
Including to the uncertainty, Ghana’s Ambassador to Turkey, Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, who relies in Ankara, advised CNN on Thursday that her workplace is uncertain of the 31-year-old Atsu’s whereabouts as efforts to seek out him stay ongoing.
“On Tuesday, the [Turkish] Ministry of International Affairs right here knowledgeable me that they wished to verify if Christian Atsu had been discovered and rescued, and despatched to a medical centre. Nonetheless, in all of the confusion, which is comprehensible below the circumstances, they aren’t certain but which specific hospital or well being facility he has been despatched to,” Ashietey-Odunton mentioned.
“On Wednesday once more, the Ministry of International Affairs has assured me they’re working feverishly to seek out out which facility he was despatched to and can get again to me as quickly as doable as a result of I’ve been on them that I must go and see him.”
CNN has reached out to Ghana’s FA and Hatayspor once more on Thursday for updates.
Previous to becoming a member of Hatayspor final 12 months, Atsu represented a number of completely different English golf equipment, together with Chelsea, Everton, Bournemouth and Newcastle.
Greater than 19,000 individuals have been killed and tens of hundreds injured after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, officers mentioned.
Groups are racing to rescue survivors as support companies warn that new snowfall, in addition to an absence of water, communications and energy, may trigger a lethal “secondary catastrophe.”
