Ex-Newcastle player Atsu found alive from rubble after Türkiye quakes

Ghana national player and former Newcastle midfielder Christian Atsu has been found alive in the rubble of an earthquake that killed more than 3,500 people in Türkiye, Ghana's ambassador to Türkiye said.

Atsu, 31, joined Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor in September, based in the southern province of Hatay near the epicentre of Monday's massive quake.

"I have good news coming. I am just getting information from the president of the Ghana association that Christian Atsu has been found in Hatay," Francisca Ashietey-Odunton told Accra-based Asaase Ra dio, referring to a local Ghanaian community association on Tuesday.

The envoy gave no further details on his condition.

Hatayspor official Mustafa Ozat told Play Spor streaming channel on Monday that Atsu was still in the rubble and was trying to escape.

READ MORE: What we know about the massive earthquakes that hit Türkiye and Syria

Thousands of structures flattened 

Atsu spent five seasons at Newcastle after an initial campaign on loan before leaving for Saudi Arabia in 2021.

He won the last of his 60 Ghana national caps in September 2019.

"We pray for Ghana International Christian Atsu and victims of the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria," the Ghana Football Association said on Twitter.

Dozens of nations have offered aid since the 7.7-magnitude quake struck early on Monday as people were sleeping. Freezing weather has hampered emergency efforts.

Multi-storey apartment buildings full of residents were among the more than 5,600 structures reduced to rubble in Türkiye, while Syria also announced dozens of collapses.

READ MORE: Türkiye declares three-month state of emergency in quake-hit provinces