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Emiliano Sala: body recovered from seabed plane wreckage identified as missing Cardiff striker, police confirm

  • Coroner to investigate Sala’s death with pilot David Ibbotson still missing
  • Plane was carrying striker from Nantes to new club Cardiff before crashing in English channel

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A handout video footage still image released by the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) shows the rear left side of the fuselage, including part of the aircraft registration, identified as part of the wreckage from the missing Piper Malibu aircraft that disappeared two weeks ago carrying footballer Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson lying on the seabed under the English Channel. Photo: AFP/AAIB
Associated Press

Police confirmed on Thursday that the body recovered from a plane in the English Channel was that of Argentine football player Emiliano Sala.

Dorset police made the announcement after a coroner’s examination of the body, which was recovered from the seabed wreckage of the plane on Wednesday.

Sala, who had just signed with Premier League club Cardiff, and pilot David Ibbotson were the only people on-board the small aircraft that disappeared over the English Channel last month.

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“The body brought to Portland Port today has been formally identified by HM Coroner for Dorset as that of professional footballer Emiliano Sala,” Dorset Police said in a statement.

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A body is taken off the Geo Ocean III, recovered from the wreckage of a plane carrying Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala at Weymouth harbour, southwest England. The body has been identified as that of Sala, police said. Photo: AFP
A body is taken off the Geo Ocean III, recovered from the wreckage of a plane carrying Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala at Weymouth harbour, southwest England. The body has been identified as that of Sala, police said. Photo: AFP

“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.

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