Police have identified the body recovered by British investigators from the submerged wreckage of a plane that went down in the Channel as that of footballer Emiliano Sala.
British investigators had on Wednesday said they had recovered a body from the wreckage of the plane that crashed in the Channel with footballer Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson on board, three days after the aircraft was found.
“The body brought to Portland Port today has been formally identified… as that of professional footballer Emiliano Sala,” police said.
“The families of Mr Sala and pilot David Ibbotson have been updated and will continue to be supported by specially-trained family liaison officers. Our thoughts remain with them all,” police added. “HM Coroner will continue to investigate the circumstances of this death supported by Dorset Police.”
“On Monday 21 January 2019 a plane carrying both men was flying from Nantes to Cardiff when it lost contact with Air Traffic Control, north of Guernsey.
“Sadly a search and rescue operation was unsuccessful in locating the plane and the two occupants. Subsequently AAIB and privately funded search teams were deployed to the relevant area. Using specialist equipment the teams succeeded in locating and identifying the plane and recovering Mr Sala’s body.”
Emiliano Raúl Sala Taffarel (31 October 1990 – 21 January 2019) was an Argentine professional footballer who played as a forward and was contracted to play for Cardiff City at the time of his death.
On 19 January 2019, Sala joined Cardiff city for three and a half-year deal for a club record transfer fee,reported to be £15 million. The transfer beat the previous club record of £11 million paid for Gary Meddel in 2013.
As part of a sell-on clause, 50% of the transfer fee was due to his first professional club Bordeaux.
Sala rejected a late bid from a club in the Chinese Super League to join Cardiff, despite being offered a higher transfer fee and salary, due to his desire to play in the Premier League.