The remains of Ghanaian football star Christian Atsu arrived home on Sunday after his death in Turkey’s devastating earthquake.
Atsu’s coffin, wrapped in the Ghanaian flag, arrived in Accra by plane and was received by his family with full military honors.
The 31-year-old athlete’s death was discovered on Saturday after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and Syria on February 6, killing more than 46,000 people in both countries.
There was a celebratory moment on Sunday night when the Turkish Airlines plane landed at Kotoka International Airport carrying the body of the former Premier League player.
To the sound of a lone trumpet, six pallbearers lifted the coffin onto the stands while a large crowd of family members, football fans, diplomats and government officials looked on in tears and sadness.
Ghana’s Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia led the government delegation.
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“We prayed anxiously and nervously that our brother Christian Atsu would be found alive. We prayed and prayed but unfortunately when he was found he was gone,” Bawumia said. “He will be greatly missed. It is a heartbreaking loss and I would say the State will be fully involved with the family to ensure he has a proper burial.”
After a short religious ceremony praying for the ex-Chelsea player’s soul, the body was transferred to the morgue of a military hospital in the capital, Accra.
The Ghana winger spent four seasons at Chelsea, mostly on loan, before making a permanent move to Newcastle in 2017. He has also played for a number of European clubs including FC Porto, Everton and Bournemouth.
Over the weekend, Premier League clubs held a minute’s silence in honor of Atsu. Chelsea released a statement saying: “It is with great sadness that Chelsea Football Club has received the news that Christian Atsu has been confirmed as one of the many victims of the terrible earthquake that has struck Turkey and Syria.”
