The
desperate search for a missing plane carrying Premier League footballer Emiliano Sala is set to resume at sunrise as his father
admitted he is "beginning to think the worst”.
Five aircraft and two lifeboats had scoured more
than 1,000 square miles for traces of the plane after it disappeared from radar
over the English Channel en route from Nantes in France to Cardiff.Search and rescue operations were suspended when
the sun set last night.
As it called off the hunt, Guernsey Police said
the plan was for it to resume at first light on Wednesday.Officers said the chances of passenger survival
were "slim", with the Cardiff City striker’s
father saying: “I don't know what to think... The hours pass and I am just beginning to think the worst.”
father saying: “I don't know what to think... The hours pass and I am just beginning to think the worst.”
Emiliano Sala: His mother said he was enjoying 'the best moment of his
career'
Horacio Sala was speaking to media gathered
outside the family home. “We were in touch on Sunday. He was so happy that he
was going there, to an even bigger club,” he said.
Sala had scored 12 goals in 19 games in Ligue 1
for Nantes this season and was brought in to bolster the attack for the Premier
League strugglers for a fee of around £15 million.The 28-year-old posted a picture with his former
Nantes team-mates on Monday captioned "the last goodbye" before
flying to Wales.
John Fitzgerald, chief officer of Channel
Islands Air Search, said: "I think with the sea temperatures and the sea
conditions, the chances of finding anybody alive are reducing all the time.
Footballer Emiliano Sala was on board a light aircraft that disappeared from radar
screens over the Channel
"The sea temperatures are very, very cold
and just sap the core temperature of anybody in the water very, very
quickly."
Guernsey Police said: "Conditions during
the search last night were challenging, with wave heights of up to two metres,
with heavy rain showers and poor visibility.
"Today the sea is much calmer and although
visibility was good, it is now deteriorating."
The single-turbine engine Piper PA-46 Malibu,
carrying the footballer and his pilot, left Nantes at 7.15pm for Cardiff and
was flying at an altitude of 5,000ft.
As it was passing Guernsey, the pilot
"requested descent" but Jersey air traffic control lost contact while
it was flying at 2,300ft around 15 miles north of Guernsey.
Rescue teams were scrambled but were unable to
find anything on Monday night, with the search resuming at 8am on Tuesday.
Nantes supporters sang songs in support of Sala
in the heart of the city on Tuesday night. The club, nicknamed the Canaries,
called for supporters to join together at Place Royale on Tuesday evening,
where yellow tulips and other tributes were laid.
Cardiff and Nantes fans pay tribute
to Emiliano Sala
Sala's father Horacio told Argentinian news
channel C5N he was "desperate" after hearing the plane was missing.
"I was working, I can't believe it. I am desperate," he said.
"Hopefully there will be good news."
He added: "I don't know what could have
happened. My family knew nothing, I told them."
Ken Choo, chief executive
of the Bluebirds, said: "We were very shocked upon hearing the news that
the plane had gone missing. We expected Emiliano to arrive last night into
Cardiff and today was due to be his first day with the team
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