Earthquake: Ghanaian footballer found alive in rubble

International football player, Christian Atsu, has been found alive following Monday’s earthquake in southern Turkey, Ghana Football Association revealed on Tuesday.

In a tweet via the football association’s official handle, it said Atsu was in a hospital receiving treatment.

The tweet read, “Update: We’ve received some positive news that Christian Atsu has been successfully rescued from the rubble of the collapsed building and is receiving treatment. Let’s continue to pray for Christian.”

Update: We’ve received some positive news that Christian Atsu has been successfully rescued from the rubble of the collapsed building and is receiving treatment.

Let’s continue to pray for Christian🙏🏽

— Ghana Football Association (@ghanafaofficial) February 7, 2023

Also, to corroborate the claims of the Ghana Football Association, it was gathered that Ghana’s ambassador to Turkey Francisca Ashietey-Odunton told an Accra-based radio station that Atsu had been found.

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Atsu was not immediately accounted for in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Reacting to the new development, Atsu’s former club, Everton Football Club expressed joy over the news. Via a Facebook post, the football club wrote, “We are relieved to hear Christian Atsu has been successfully rescued and is recovering in hospital. Our thoughts continue to be with everyone affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.”

So far, more than 5,000 deaths have been confirmed in Turkey and Syria with over 21,000 people injured following earthquakes that rocked the region on Monday.

In Turkey, casualties were reported in ten provinces, including Hatay, which is home to Atsu’s football team Hatayspor.

Atsu, 31, joined the Turkish team in the summer and netted his first goal for the club on Sunday, a day before the earthquake.

He had previously represented top English clubs such as Chelsea, Everton, Bournemouth, and Newcastle.