LONDON • Footballer Emiliano Sala's family were left to grieve yesterday after British authorities formally identified the Argentinian's body as the one recovered from the submerged wreckage of a plane that went down in the English Channel more than two weeks ago.
"We can now begin to mourn our son and our brother," the 28-year-old Cardiff City striker's family said in a statement.
"We would like to thank you for all of your signs of affection and support in the most painful time of our life. To see everyone doing everything possible to join us in the search has been precious help to us."
The Premier League player's former French club, Nantes, said it was withdrawing the jersey with Sala's number 9 on it and all Ligue One and Two matches in France this weekend will be preceded by a minute of applause for him.
The light aircraft was carrying the £15 million (S$26.3 million) club-record signing from Nantes to Cardiff when it disappeared near the island of Guernsey, along with 59-year-old pilot David Ibbotson, whose body has not been found.
Sala's disappearance had sparked an outpouring of grief and a flood of cash to support a private hunt for the plane when the official search was initially called off on Jan 24.
Sala's body was first spotted by British rescuers using a remotely operated underwater vehicle on Sunday, close to where the plane vanished from radar on Jan 21.
Investigators recovered the body on Wednesday but said they were abandoning plans to lift the plane wreck out of the water because of bad weather. However, British police said that an investigation into the circumstances of his death was continuing.
"I am very sorry about this sad news. Many of us kept a glimmer of hope for you, Emiliano," Argentina legend Diego Maradona said on Instagram. "What sadness, this is the worst news. Rest in peace warrior," tweeted retired Argentinian football star Gabriel Batistuta.
Argentina President Mauricio Macri also offered his condolences to Sala's family, saying: "We are with you."
There was also an outpouring of grief from fellow players. Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan and Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain had been among the 4,829 people who contributed to a crowdfunding campaign which paved the way for the private search.
Your soul in my soul will shine forever, thus illuminating the time of my existence.
I love you.
ROMINA SALA, Emiliano Sala's sister, in a moving tribute to her brother posted on Instagram.
Gundogan tweeted "may he rest in peace", while Mbappe simply tweeted "RIP Emi". Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil tweeted there were "no words to describe how sad this is".
Sala's sister Romina, who confirmed her family would be adopting Nala, the player's beloved dog, took to Instagram, posting a moving tribute to her brother.
She wrote in Spanish: "Your soul in my soul will shine forever, thus illuminating the time of my existence. I love you."
Cardiff manager Neil Warnock yesterday said that he believed Sala would have thrived in the Premier League, saying: "He was a type of player that would score 10 or 15 for me at the top level every year. But, not just that, he would work hard as a team player.
"He was at the prime, I felt, and he knew he had things to prove."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
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