Emiliano Sala’s plane wreckage found as underwater search plans drawn up

Parts believed to be from the missing plane that disappeared taking Cardiff striker, Emiliano Sala to the U.K. have been found in water off the coast of France, according to reports from Europe. Sala was heading to the U.K. last week when the aircraft he was on disappeared.

A search was called off last week after nothing was found by investigators. But it’s now believed wreckage from the light aircraft has been discovered.

BBC Sport reporter Dan Roan tweeted yesterday: “Air Accidents Investigation Branch says French counterparts found part of a seat cushion on beach Surainville on the Cotentin Peninsula.

“A second cushion was found in the same area & they have concluded its “likely” they are from missing aircraft that carried Emiliano Sala.

AIB: “We have now identified a priority underwater search area of approximately 4 square nautical miles…to try to locate and identify possible aircraft wreckage.” Will start end of this weekend due to weather conditions.”

A search for aircraft carrying Sala and pilot David Ibbotson was opened days after the initial one ended after fundraising campaign.

Football stars, including the likes of Lionel Messi donated to the campaign.
Cardiff played last night for the first time since the tragic incident occurred last week.

Tributes were paid to Sala in the away match at Arsenal, and the Argentinian striker was listed in Cardiff’s squad in the matchday programme, with the image of a daffodil next to his name where his number would have been.

Cardiff captain Sol Bamba said the whole squad had been deeply affected by the disappearance of their new team-mate.
“It is a very unusual situation, a big tragedy,” Bamba told BBC Sport Wales.

“We have all been affected by it, the lads, the city, the whole club.

“We have had some help. We travel by plane and some of the lads have been thinking, ‘I don’t want to go on it anymore.’

“It was that deep, the gaffer (Neil Warnock) has been good and the club have been good in terms of bringing someone in to talk to if we need to.

“And I think some of the lads do, they need to get it out.”