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Agent: Atsu's whereabouts unknown despite earthquake rescue claims

Serena Taylor / Newcastle United / Getty

The agent of Christian Atsu, the Ghanaian winger who went missing after an earthquake struck Turkey in the early hours of Monday morning, is still waiting on the 31-year-old's whereabouts despite claims he was rescued.

The Ghana Football Association tweeted Tuesday that Atsu was saved from the rubble after a deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake and subsequent aftershocks.

However, Atsu's representative, Nana Sechere, said on social media that he was unable to corroborate the report from Ghana's football authorities and is still awaiting news on the Hatayspor player.

"We are doing everything we can to locate Christian," the agent tweeted.

He added, "Please respect the (family's) privacy during this harrowing time and refrain from spreading unsubstantiated news as this will only hamper the search efforts for Christian."

More than 11,000 people in southern Turkey and northern Syria have been killed since the tremors began, according to BBC News.

Hatayspor manager Volkan Demirel told Turkish sport website Spor Arena on Wednesday that Atsu and sporting director Taner Savut were still missing after the earthquake.

Ghana's ambassador to Turkey, Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, also said to radio station Joy FM that there was "confusion" as to where Atsu had been sent.

"They are not sure yet which particular hospital or health facility he has been sent to," she said, as quoted by BBC Sport.

"This morning again, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assured me they are working feverishly to find out which facility he was sent to and will get back to me as soon as possible because I have been on them that I need to go and see him."

Atsu has represented Ghana on 65 occasions and moved to Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor in September. He made 80 Premier League appearances during an Everton loan stint and a four-year stay with Newcastle United. He spent the early part of his career with FC Porto and Chelsea and later represented the Netherlands' Vitesse Arnhem and Spain's Malaga before his recent spells in Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Ahmet Eyup Turkaslan, a 28-year-old goalkeeper for Turkish second-tier side Yeni Malatyaspor, was confirmed dead on Tuesday following the earthquake. "We will not forget you, beautiful person," the club tweeted.

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