Cardiff City reacts as Emiliano Sala’s body is identified

Cardiff City have issued a terse statement, after the body recovered from the wreckage of a plane in the English Channel, was identified as that of Emiliano Sala.

“We offer our most heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the family of Emiliano. He and David will forever remain in our thoughts,” the Premier League club said.

The plane, which was carrying the Argentine footballer, 28, and pilot David Ibbotson, 59, went missing from radar near Guernsey two weeks ago.

A private search team located the missing aircraft on the seabed on Sunday and confirmed the body of one of the occupants had been seen among the wreckage.

On Wednesday it was confirmed that a body had been recovered. 

“The body brought to Portland Port today has been formally identified by HM Coroner for Dorset as that of professional footballer Emiliano Sala.

“The families of Mr Sala and pilot David Ibbotson have been updated. Our thoughts remain with them all.”

“The families of Mr Sala and the pilot David Ibbotson have been updated with this news and will continue to be supported by specially-trained family liaison officers,” Dorset Police wrote on Twitter.