Former EPL Star Found Alive Under Earthquake Rubble

Ghana winger Christian Atsu – who was previously signed with Newcastle and Chelsea – has been pulled from the rubble of a building in Turkey after a recent devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the region on Monday, 6 February.

The 31-year-old – who is currently signed with Turkish club, Hatayspor – was rescued with injuries from the wreckage on Tuesday, 7 February, and is currently receiving medical treatment. The club’s sporting director, Taner Savut, is still in the collapsed building.

Chelsea, Newcastle and the Ghana Football Association have all tweeted their support for the Ghanaian international footballer.

Throughout his career, Atsu played on loan for Everton and Bournemouth, as well as a season with Saudi Arabian team Al-Raed, before he joined Hatayspor in September 2022. However, he is one of the lucky ones at this point.

Neighbouring club, Yeni Malatyaspor, has since confirmed the death of their goalkeeper, Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan.

According to reports, the combined death toll for Turkey and Syria has reached over 10 000 on Wednesday, 8 February, with the numbers continuing to rise. Continuous aftershocks have hindered ongoing rescue efforts.

The Hatay province was one of the areas closest to the epicentre of the earthquake, resulting in significant damage.

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