The family of the footballer Emiliano Sala has called for the authorities to continue to search for missing pilot David Ibbotson as the world of football came to terms with the confirmation of the striker’s death.
All players will wear black armbands at Premier League games this weekend and there will be a minute’s silence before the game between Cardiff City, the club he had signed for before the plane crash, and Southampton.
Almost three weeks after the plane plunged into the sea off Guernsey in the Channel Islands, Sala’s family said they could finally mourn him after his body was recovered from the seabed and formally identified. Ibbotson, however, remains missing.
In a statement released on Friday they said: “We would like to thank you for all your signs of affection and support in what is the most painful time of our lives. Seeing the whole world mobilised to support us in our research has been an infinitely precious help. Thanks to you, we are now able to mourn our son, our brother.”
The statement added: “Our thoughts go to David Ibbotson and his family, hoping that the authorities will do their best to find him.”
The Argentinian player’s sister, Romina, who fronted the appeal for the search for 28-year-old Sala to recommence after it was halted by the Guernsey harbourmaster, said: “Your soul in my soul will shine forever, illuminating the time of my existence. I love you, Tito.”
Among those who paid tribute to Sala were past and present Argentinian stars including Diego Maradona and Sergio Agüero and the former England captain Wayne Rooney.
His former club, Nantes, revealed they had permanently retired their No 9 shirt – which Sala wore – while Cardiff City have offered to pay for the repatriation of Sala’s body to South America.
Cardiff’s manager, Neil Warnock, said: “It brings the family peace and offers them comfort.” Warnock said he understood the family’s desire to organise their own search, which they financed though a crowdfunding campaign after the official recovery was halted.
He said: “When I spoke to Romina, she couldn’t let it go. I wouldn’t have been able to let it go. To start that up as they did and get such a response is amazing.”
Warnock declined to talk about Nantes’ demand for the first instalment of Sala’s £15m transfer fee, saying: “Any sensible journalist will have their own view on that without me commenting.”
Cardiff City’s owner, Vincent Tan, expressed his condolences to Sala’s family. He said: “We have offered to them to arrange to take Emiliano back to rest with his family in Argentina. Even though he will be there, his soul will always be in our hearts.”
The aircraft carrying Sala and Ibbotson crashed on 21 January, en route from Nantes to Cardiff. The body was recovered from the plane in the sea north of Guernsey and formally identified by the Dorset coroner. An inquest is likely to open in Bournemouth next week.
