Emiliano Sala latest: search for missing footballer to resume this weekend

Emiliano Sala: His mother said he was enjoying 'the best moment of his career'
Sophie Williams1 February 2019

A private search for missing striker Emiliano Sala and pilot Dave Ibbotson will resume this weekend following a crowdfunding campaign.

It comes after the plane carrying the pair disappeared over the English Channel last week.

The search is set to begin this weekend after over £324,000 was raised in a GoFundMe appeal.

FPV Morven, the ship being used, arrived in Guernsey on Friday. It is being run by marine scientist David Mearns.

Dave Ibbotson, 60, who was flying the Piper PA-46 Malibu light aircraft at the time of the crash

He said on Monday it would focus on an area of 25 square nautical miles on the seabed north of Alderney.

A spokesman for the family said previously: "The family still have some hope, they're looking at this as a missing person, a missing plane, and until they are satisfied, that's the mode that we're in."

It comes after two seat cushions were found off the coast of France on the Cotentin Peninsula.

The Air Accident Investigations Bureau confirmed that it will be sending its own search party to an area it believes the aircraft enters the sea.

Emiliano Sala pictured with his Nantes teammates

It said it is aware that a privately-funded search is being conducted and is “liaising closely with those involved to maximise the chance of locating any wreckage and ensure a safe search operation. “

The Piper PA-46 Malibu carrying Sala and pilot David Ibbotson disappeared over the English Channel on January 21 after leaving Nantes in France for Cardiff.

It requested to descend then lost contact with Jersey air traffic control.

Cardiff signed Sala from Nantes for a club-record fee, reported to be £15 million on January 19.

A picture shows flowers put in front of the entrance of the training center La Joneliere in La Chapelle-sur-Erdre
AFP/Getty Images

The striker left the Welsh capital after completing the move and returned to Nantes to collect his belongings and say goodbye to teammates and staff of the French club.

There have been frequent tributes to the footballer at games in the UK and France, with moments of silence and applause held at games in his honour.

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