Rescuers search for plane carrying Cardiff City’s new £15m Argentinian striker Emiliano Sala

Rescue workers searching for Emiliano Sala have said they are not expecting to find any survivors after the Premier League footballer's plane vanished over the English Channel.  

The Argentinian striker completed a £15million move to Cardiff City on Saturday before returning to France to bid farewell to his old squad at Ligue 1 side Nantes, posting a poignant photo alongside the words, 'The last goodbye'.

The 28-year-old was due to return to Wales in time for training this morning but the Piper Malibu aircraft he was in lost contact near the Casquets lighthouse off Alderney at 8.30pm last night. 

Cardiff City chief executive Ken Choo said everyone at the club was 'very distressed' and 'praying for positive news.'

Sala's former teammate French Guingamp midfielder Lucas Deaux tweeted: 'I hope from the bottom of my heart that this is not true.'

Speaking from Argentina, Sala's father Horacio said he was 'desperate' for news about his son, and broke down in tears as he described him as a 'small town humble boy', adding: 'I just can't believe it.'   

The footballer's mother, Mercedes Taffarel, said the plane 'belonged to the owner of Cardiff City', and said Emiliano was 'enjoying the best moment of his career so far.' 

John Fitzgerald, chief officer of the Channel Islands Air Search, said he was not optimistic about finding Sala and the pilot. 

He said: 'I don't think the coastguard are either. We just don't know how it disappeared. It just completely vanished. There was no radio conversation'.  





MailOnline