In the last few hours, it has been confirmed that a small plane that went missing over the English Channel on the 23rd of January was carrying new Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala.
Sala, the former Nantes striker, had only just transferred to the Welsh club on Saturday in a club record-breaking 15 million pound deal. Cardiff lies 18th in the table and are badly in need of firepower, having scored 19 goals in 23 matches.
Their signing of Sala was somewhat of a coup, considering the stellar form of the Argentine striker. Sala had scored 12 goals in 19 matches for Nantes in the first half of the 2018-2019 season.
Having confirmed his move on Saturday, Sala was due to arrive in Cardiff having waved goodbye to his former teammates at Nantes. His first training session with his new club was due to be on Wednesday. This session has now been called off in light of the missing plane, keeping in mind the club’s players and staff’s emotions and shock.
Tu es plus qu’un joueur, @EmilianoSala1.#PrayForSala pic.twitter.com/P5D9wtkoTK
— FC Nantes (@FCNantes) January 22, 2019
Striker Feared for Safety Before Doomed Flight
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According to multiple news outlets, Sala had been concerned before flying on the Piper Malibu aircraft. According to French news outlet 20 Minutes, Sala returned to Nantes to bid farewell to his teammates at a cordial lunch on Monday.
His close friend and teammate Nicolas Pallois, who had dropped him off at the airport, spoke of Sala’s worry due to a bumpy trip from Wales, also on the same plane. The Argentine and the Piper’s pilot were believed to be the only people aboard the plane, which went missing near the Channel Island of Guernsey, shortly after takeoff at Nantes.
With choppy weather in the Channel, expectations are not high for Sala’s safe recovery. Guernsey Harbour Master, David Barker explained that with “worsening weather” and “waves of up to 2 metres”, the probability is “slim” of both passengers’ survival.
The search had been highly difficult, and called off for the night, after what is believed to be floating debris was found. Authorities believe that in such conditions, chances of survival were significantly reduced after an hour in the icy waters.
The thoughts and prayers of all in the football community are with Sala, his family and Cardiff City in this difficult time.