Emiliano Sala: Search for Cardiff City striker and pilot abandoned
The search was called off after a fourth unsuccessful day since the aircraft disappeared off radars on Monday night north of Guernsey - updates from Thursday
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Your support makes all the difference.Follow the latest updates as the search for Emiliano Sala, a pilot and a missing plane was called off on Thursday afternoon without any trace of the missing Cardiff City striker in the English Channel.
The search was called off after a fourth unsuccessful day since the aircraft disappeared off radars on Monday night north of Guernsey. After officials confirmed that the priority of the search changed from a rescue mission to a recovery operation, a statement from police said that Thursday search will focus on coastal areas of the Channel Islands and northern France, yet this turned up nothing linked to the missing aircraft.
Cardiff City have said that they are “realistic” about the fate of Sala, who joined the club in a £15m deal last weekend, and revelations about the aeroplane that was carrying Sala and pilot Dave Ibbotson continue to emerge, including a voice message left by Sala to his friends in Argentina in the final hours before he disappeared complaining about the condition of the plane and his fear for his safety. Follow the live updates below.
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Welcome to The Independent's live updates as the search for Emiliano Sala resumes this morning at sunrise after the light aircraft disappeared over the English Channel.
Five aircraft and two lifeboats scoured more than 1,000 square miles for traces of the plane on Monday after it disappeared from radar en route from Nantes in France to Cardiff.
Guernsey Police said the chances of passenger survival were "slim", with Cardiff City's chief executive has said everyone at the club is in "shock".
Cardiff City were convinced to pay £15 million for the Argentine last week from Nantes after 12 goals in 19 matches in Ligue 1 this season.
John Fitzgerald, chief officer of Channel Islands Air Search, said: "I think with the sea temperatures and the sea conditions, the chances of finding anybody alive are reducing all the time.
"The sea temperatures are very, very cold and just sap the core temperature of anybody in the water very, very quickly."
Guernsey Police said: "Conditions during the search last night were challenging, with wave heights of up to two metres, with heavy rain showers and poor visibility.
"Today the sea is much calmer and although visibility was good, it is now deteriorating."
Guernsey Police have confirmed the search is back underway, releasing the following statement:
It read: "We have resumed searching. Two planes are taking off and will search a targeted area we believe has the highest likelihood of finding anything, based on review of the tides and weather since it went missing.
"Coastal areas around Alderney and off-lying rocks and islands will also be searched from the air. Updates will be provided once information is available."
Sala was born in Santa Fe, Argentina, with one of the local clubs reaching out to send a message of support to the player.
The support continues to pour in from the football world for Emiliano Sala.
Hope remains the Cardiff City striker will be found after the search resumed.
The newspapers around Europe are also paying tribute to Sala.
L'Equipe in France goes with: "Emiliano Sala: The disappearance of a warrior."
Journalist Tom Williams has a selection of French newspapers and their reactions to the Sala.
Nantes supporters have been paying tribute to Sala, despite holding out hope the Argentine will be found.
“He was adorable,” said Nantes supporter Émilie Tissot. “I loved going to the training sessions to meet the players. Sala was shy and reserved, but he was always there for the supporters. I’ve been crying since this morning.”
Sala's style of play was associated with his fight, or 'grinta,' as it is usually defined in Argentina.
Nantes fan Julien Chartier recalls the joy Sala brought to the pitch.
“I can’t remember another Nantes striker who expressed so much joy after each goal,” he said. “You could tell he was an Argentinian; he had that grinta. That’s what everyone will remember. I’m sure if you’d said, ‘If you cut your finger off, Nantes will be champions of France,’ he’d have done it.”
Sala's first coach Diego Solis from the small town of Progreso has spoken of his fondness for his former player.
He said: "He was always a humble boy, when he came he did not talk about having more goals than Neymar or Mbappé".
Emiliano Sala appears to have left a WhatsApp voice message suggesting his plane "looked like it was falling to pieces" just hours before it went missing over the English Channel.
The Argentine striker, who signed for Cardiff City on Saturday, was travelling from Nantes to Wales when the light aircraft he was travelling on with one other passenger disappeared from radar on Monday evening.
A frantic search has followed with authorities admitting the chances of finding anyone alive now are "slim".
A voice recording, published by Argentine media outlet Ole, appears to detail Sala telling friends about the condition of the aircraft shortly before its disappearance.
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