Ghanaian Player, Atsu, Trapped In Rubble After Earthquake In Turkey

Black Stars of Ghana winger, Christian Atsu, is amongst those trapped under rubble in Turkey after a huge earthquake on Monday.

A search and rescue operation is underway after Atsu, a former Chelsea and Newcastle United player, who now features for Hataysport in Turkey, was caught up in the 7.7 magnitude earthquake.

Several members of Atsu’s new team had to be rescued after the earthquake and he is now reported to be amongst those still missing as a search and rescue operation gets underway.

Atsu scored his first goal for Hataysport this weekend, just hours before the earthquake struck.

The club’s sporting director, Taner Savut, is also trapped as efforts to free them continue.

More than 1,300 people have lost their lives in the disaster, with a further 6,000 injured, according to officials.

A massive aftershock with a magnitude of 7.5 hit Turkey’s south hours after the original quake. Reports say it was felt once again in Syria and also Iraqi Kurdistan.

Atsu left Newcastle having played over 100 games in 2021 to join Saudi side Al-Raed but departed the Middle East for Turkey in the summer.

Atsu joined Chelsea as a youngster in 2013 from Porto before being sent on a number of loan spells.

He spent time at Everton and Bournemouth before making a permanent switch to Newcastle United in 2017 having never played a Premier League game for Chelsea.