UPDATED: Ghana football star Christian Atsu rescued alive

While over 5,000 deaths have been recorded in the devastating earthquake that struck eastern Turkey and neighbouring Syria, Ghanian football star, Christian Atsu, has been rescued alive.

The BBC reports Atsu’s club’s vice-president Mustafa Özat told Turkish radio the winger was pulled from the rubble of a building “with injuries”.

Atsu, who plays for Hatayspor, was trapped after the earthquakes and while his other teammates were rescued much earlier, there was a frantic search for the 31-year-old as well as Hatayspor’s sporting director Taner Savut.

Unfortunately, while Atsu, who played for a handful of English teams like Newcastle Chelsea, Everton and Bournemouth has been found alive, Hatayspor sporting director Taner Savut is still in the collapsed building.

Hatay was one of the areas closest to the epicentre of the earthquake and has suffered extensive damage.

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“Christian Atsu was removed from the wreckage with injuries,” Özat told Radyo Gol.

“Unfortunately, our sporting director Taner Savut is still under the rubble.

“Hatay was deeply affected. We are coming towards the end of the most dangerous hours.”

READ ALSO: Earthquake death toll rises to 79 in Turkey

The Ghanaian Football Association, happy with the cheering update on Atsu, tweeted: “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.”

Atsu, who featured for Ghana’s Black Stars on 65 different occasions, joined Hatayspor in September 2022 after a season with the Saudi Arabian team Al-Raed.

He scored the winning goal in the 90th minute of Hatayspor’s Super Lig match against Kasimpasa on Sunday.