Scott Heppell/Reuters
A World Cup soccer star has reportedly been pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building in Turkey, where a series of of earthquakes unleashed catastrophe in the country and neighboring Syria on Monday, leaving at least 5,000 people dead.
Christian Atsu, 31, who represented Ghana at the 2014 World Cup, was confirmed to have been rescued from the wreckage in Hatay by the Ghana Football Association on Tuesday. “We’ve received some positive news that Christian Atsu has been successfully rescued from the rubble of the collapsed building and is receiving treatment,” the national soccer organization tweeted. “Let’s continue to pray for Christian.”
Atsu, who previously played for Premier League teams including Chelsea, Newcastle, and Everton, signed to Turkish club Hatayspor in September. His manager, Mustafa Özat, told Turkish radio that channel Radyo Gol on Tuesday that while Atsu had been rescued “with injuries,” Hatayspor’s sporting director Taner Savut “is still under the rubble,” the BBC reports. “Hatay was deeply affected,” Özat added. “We are coming towards the end of the most dangerous hours.”