When the earthquake hit Turkey and Syria. Christian Atsu, a professional soccer player who once played in England’s Premier League, was rescued from under the rubble, Turkey’s Hatayspor teams vice president said.
The vice president of Turkey’s Hatayspor is Mustafa Ozat, and he said on Tuesday, “Christian Atsu was removed, injured,” on Radyo Gol, a Turkish radio station. “We are coming toward the end of the most dangerous hours,” Ozat said the club’s sporting director, Taner Savut, was still trapped under the rumble.
Mr. Atsu was among the thousands of people missing under collapsed buildings after an earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on Monday. Hours before the earthquake hit, Mr. Atsu scored his team’s winning goal in its match against Kasimpasa, a team from Istanbul.
The fate of other players for Hatayspor’s team was not immediately clear. More than 5,100 people in Turkey and Syria have died in the quake, and that toll is expected to rise. Rescuers worked through the night and freezing temperatures in order to pull people from the rubble, but snow impeded some rescue efforts.
Volkan Demirel, the manager of Hatayspor, on Tuesday, went to Instagram with tears asking for assistance to send help for others who remained under rubble. “Please help, help,” said Mr. Demirel, the former goalkeeper of Fenerbahce, an Istanbul team. “I want you to send all the help you can. Not only for Hatay but for surrounding cities too.”