The body of late Ghana international footballer, Christian Atsu, who died in an earthquake that hit Turkey two weeks ago, has been returned to his native country.
Atsu’s remains were accompanied from Turkey by his family and Ghana’s ambassador to Turkey, Francisca Ashietey-Odunton on Sunday, according to Ghana’s foreign ministry.
The plane landed at about 19:25 (GMT) in Accra where it was met by relatives, government officials and representatives of the Ghana Football Association, while the coffin was later transported to a military hospital morgue by the Ghanaian Armed Forces.
The body of the former Chelsea, Everton and Newcastle player who piled his trade with Hatayspor was found on Saturday under a rubble in his home in Antakya in southern Turkey.
The 31-year-old winger played 65 times for Ghana’s national team and helped his side reach the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final.
Speaking at the Kotoka airport in the capital Accra while receiving the body of Atsu, Ghana’s Vice-President, Mahamudu Bawumia said the country has been thrown into mourning.
“We hoped against hope, every day that passed, we prayed and prayed. But alas, when he was found, he was no more.
“The whole of Ghana, and indeed Africa, is now in mourning,” Bawumia said.
The VP added the late Atsu was much loved and would be sorely missed.
“It is a painful loss, a very painful one,” he added, promising that the deceased would be given a befitting burial worthy of a national icon.