Ghana international Christian Atsu has been found alive in the rubble of an earthquake that killed more than 4,800 people in Turkey and neighbouring Syria.

The 31-year-old joined the Hatayspor team in the Turkish Super Lig in September. Hatayspor is based in the southern province of Hatay, which is close to where Monday’s big earthquake hit.

“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 Radio, referring to a local Ghanaian community association.

The envoy didn’t give further information about the midfielder’s condition.

Hatayspor employee Mustafa Ozat said on Monday that Atsu was still in the wreckage and was trying to get out.

After a year on loan, Atsu stayed at Newcastle for five years before leaving for Saudi Arabia in 2021.

In September 2019, he got his last of 60 caps for Ghana.

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

Since the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit early Monday morning while people were sleeping, dozens of countries have offered to help. Freezing weather has made it harder to help people in need.

In Turkey, more than 5,600 buildings were destroyed, including apartment buildings with lots of people living in them. In Syria, dozens of buildings fell down.

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