The body recovered from the wreckage of a crashed plane is that of Cardiff City player Emiliano Sala, Dorset Police have said.
Sala, 28, was travelling to Cardiff in a plane piloted by David Ibbotson, which went missing over the English Channel on 21 January.
The Argentine’s body was recovered late on Wednesday after the wreckage was found on Sunday morning.
Dorset Police confirmed the identification on Thursday night.
“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.” The body was spotted in the wreckage of the plane on Monday and the authorities were able to recover it two days later, despite “challenging conditions”. The Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) said the operation had been carried out in “as dignified a way as possible” and the men’s families were kept updated throughout. [caption id="attachment_113036" align="alignnone" width="630"]View this post on InstagramTu alma en mi alma brillará por siempre, iluminando así, el tiempo de mi existir. Te amo tito.
Emiliano Sala (left) was on board a plane being flown by pilot David Ibbotson[/caption]
The Geo Ocean III, which was involved in finding the wreckage, took the body back to the nearest port of Portland in Dorset, where the body was formally identified.
The Piper Malibu N264DB was en route from France to Cardiff, after the Argentine striker made a quick trip back to his former club Nantes two days after his £15m transfer to Cardiff was announced.
In a post on Instagram, Sala’s sister Romina paid tribute, saying: “Your soul in my soul, it will shine forever thus illuminating the time of my existence. I love you, tito.”
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