Christian Soccer Star Reportedly Pulled from Rubble After Turkey Quake Is Still Missing

An international Christian soccer star is still missing following the earthquake in Turkey that so far has claimed more than 19,000 lives. 

According to several media outlets, Ghanaian soccer player Christian Atsu’s whereabouts remain unknown after the devastating earthquake struck Turkey, his agent said Thursday. 

In a social media post, Nana Sechere, Atsu’s agent said, “We’re doing everything we can to locate Christian,” according to the BBC. 

Atsu, 31, is a forward for the Hatayspor soccer club. He was reportedly at a friend’s apartment in an 11-story building when the 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck on Monday morning, according to the U.K. Mirror. 

Atsu, who previously played for English clubs Chelsea and Newcastle, signed for Hatayspor late last year. The club is based in the southern city of Antakya located near the epicenter of the earthquake that devastated the region. 

Antakya is one of the cities hardest hit by the earthquake, which has destroyed thousands of buildings in Turkey alone and sent more than 110,000 rescue personnel scrambling to find survivors trapped under the wreckage. 

On Tuesday, his team’s vice president Mustafa Özat said Atsu had been rescued from the rubble of his apartment building and was in a local hospital. However, the club’s doctor told the Mirror they have yet to find him.

“When we heard the news that he was taken to Dortyol Hospital, we especially went and looked, but he was not there,” Dr. Gurbey Kahveci told reporters. “At the moment, we accept that {the sporting director} Savut Taner and Christian Atsu were not found unfortunately.”

Ghana’s Ambassador to Turkey, Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, had also told the radio network Joy FM Wednesday that Atsu had been found alive, but there was some confusion as to which hospital he had been sent. 

“Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here informed me that they wanted to confirm if Christian Atsu had been found and rescued, and sent to a medical centre. However, in all the confusion – which is understandable under the circumstances {as you are rescued you are put in an ambulance and sent to the hospital} – they are not sure yet which particular hospital or health facility he has been sent to,” she said.

“This morning again, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assured me they are working feverishly to find out which facility he was sent to and will get back to me as soon as possible because I have been on them that I need to go and see him,” Ashietey-Odunton explained. 
 
The ambassador also told Ghanaian radio she was given a list of 200 hospitals or medical facilities where Atsu could have been sent.

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Atsu’s teammate Mubarak Wakaso also confirmed in an Instagram post on Wednesday his friend was still missing. 

“Following yesterday’s update from the club that Christian had been pulled out alive, we are yet to confirm Christian’s whereabouts,” Wakaso wrote. “As you can imagine, this continues to be a devastating time for his family and we are doing everything we can to locate Christian. Official updates will be provided as more information comes to light.”

“Thank you for all your prayers and support,” he concluded. 

As CBN News has reported, rescuers in Turkey are working as quickly as they can as the “survival window” closes fast. Time is running out to find survivors in the rubble, now that the first critical 72 hours have passed. More than 63,000 people have been injured.

But there have still been some miracles.

A little girl was found alive alongside her father who, as they were loaded into an ambulance, whispered “I love you all.” 

And in the Turkish city of Malatya, a man was found alive who had been trapped under concrete for 65 hours. 

CBN’s Operation Blessing has a team in Turkey. The ministry is preparing to distribute thousands of blankets and solar lanterns to those without homes, heat, or power.  

If you would like to help Operation Blessing’s disaster relief efforts after this terrible tragedy, you can call 1-800-700-7000, or text “OBDR” to 71777.  You can also click here to make a donation. 

Or you can mail a donation to:  

Operation Blessing Disaster Relief Fund
CBN Center
Virginia Beach, VA 23463

The remainder of this article is available in its entirety at CBN