Emiliano Sala's family and Nantes makes desperate plea for missing plane search to continue

Emiliano Sala's sister Romina in tears while pleading with authorities not go give up on searching for her brother [Courtesy]

Emiliano Sala's sister has made an emotional plea for the search to continue for her “fighter” brother following the Cardiff City striker’s disappearance.

After completing his club record £15million move to the Premier League on Friday night, Sala was on board a Piper Malibu aircraft which crashed in the Channel Islands on Monday evening.

The 28-year-old and the plane’s pilot – David Ibbotson– were the only men on board the aircraft and despite extensive searches, neither men have been found.

Guernsey Police called off the search on Thursday night with the force rating the chances of survival as “extremely remote”.

Sala’s sister Romina has travelled to Cardiff and in front of the media at the St David’s Hotel in the Welsh capital, appealed for the authorities not to give up.

She said: “We understand the facts and we really appreciate the efforts. We want to say thanks to the two clubs (Cardiff and Nantes) and everyone who is looking for Emiliano, but my message is please, please, please don’t stop with the search. For me, they are still alive.

“It is very difficult to express my feelings at the moment because it is really hard.

Sala's sister has asked authorities not to give up [Courtesy]

“We have had a lot of support from the two clubs and I thank all the fans for their efforts, but deep down in the bottom of my heart I know that Emiliano – who is a fighter – is still alive. I know Emiliano and the pilot are somewhere in the middle of the channel.

“We are not going to give up.”

Sala had signed for Cardiff last Friday before the deal was officially confirmed on Saturday. Over the weekend he travelled back to former club Nantes to say goodbye to his team-mates.

His plane back to Cardiff from Nantes on Monday never arrived in the Welsh capital.

The footballer voiced fears about the safety of the missing plane in a WhatsApp audio message he sent to friends. In the message, he said: “I am here in the plane that seems like it is about to fall to pieces. I'm scared."

Romina Sala added: “The last time I spoke with Emiliano was on Monday before he went to say farewell to the Nantes players. He was really excited to come over to Cardiff and we were in touch all day long sending pictures and messages.

“The comfort and support of the people from around the world with regards to the missing of Emiliano and the pilot has been incredible. Please try to be under the skin of the next of kin to try to understand the suffering of this moment.

"I understand the effort, but the plea is the same – please don’t stop the search. At the bottom of my heart I know Emiliano is still alive and somewhere in the Channel Islands.

“Questions are for another moment. Right now there are two families desperate to know the whereabouts of two people. Questions about how Emiliano went into the plane and what’s happened are for another moment, not right now.

“Without knowing what the next steps are, the next step is to go to the search place to try to push it forwards.

"The only thing I want is to find my brother and see him again.”

Sala's father Horacia also sent an emotional plea for the emergency services to keep looking during an interview on Argentine TV.

Mr Sala said: “Keep looking, please. We cannot live like this.

“Do not stop looking. It cannot be that a plane disappears and there is no trace of anything.”

Nantes, who held an emotional training session on Thursday, also sent a message to Guernsey Police.

A statement on Twitter read: "FC Nantes has learnt that the search for the missing plane was called off.

"This search mustn’t stop. The club and its supporters strongly ask for the search to find Emiliano Sala to go on, for his family and his near relatives. Together for Emi."

Nantes Valentin Rongier said: "The search cannot stop! Help us to encourage the police to continue the search. We need everybody. Let's fight like Emi does all the time, please."

Walongwa Anthony added: "The search cannot stop, we all want a much more thorough investigation. The search should not stop until we know more!"

Goalkeeper Quentin Braat posted: "It's impossible! The search cannot stop!"

The Union of Professional Footballers in France have also thrown their support behind calls.

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