A small plane with Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala on board disappeared from the radar on Monday night on the flight from Nantes to Cardiff, about 20 kilometers north of the Channel Island of Guernsey. It is believed that the machine has crashed into the English Channel. The water temperature is currently only about ten degrees.
A several-hour search operation in the night was broken off without result due to strong winds, rough seas and poor visibility, but resumed in the morning with helicopters of the British and French Coast Guard.
The 28-year-old striker Sala had made his move from French first division side FC Nantes, for whom he scored twelve goals in 19 games, to Cardiff City in the English Premier League last Saturday. The Welsh are said to have paid a club record of about 17 million euros.
As the French station France Info reported, the business aircraft of the Piper Malibu type was manned by two passengers and one pilot. The British police, however, wrote by two people on board.