While the former Nantes player went missing four days ago as he was flying across the English Channel, the search has now been called off. What happens next?
Sala’s former club Nantes, as well as his sister, Romina, are urging authorities to resume their search after it was called off permanently on Thursday afternoon. Talking to reporters at a press conference in Cardiff, Romina Sala begged rescue workers to keep looking for the plane as she feels her brother and his pilot could still be alive.
She said: “I know Emiliano and the pilot are somewhere in the middle of the channel.”
Just a few days after signing with Cardiff City FC, the footballer Emiliano Sala went missing while he was travelling across the English Channel with pilot David Ibbotson on a private Piper PA-46 Malibu. The cause of disappearance is still unknown, however, aviation sources said Dave Ibbotson, 59, had only a private pilot’s licence, which only allows him to practice non-profit flight.
It is unclear why David was trusted to bring the Premier League club’s £15 million striker signing from France.
Authorities confirmed future investigations are in the pipeline and will focus on the potential reason for the disappearance. However, a search pilot involved in the case said there is “absolutely no chance” that anyone will be found alive.