The world’s best shipwreck hunter is set to begin searching for the missing Cardiff City striker Emiliano Sala and his pilot using the latest undersea technology.
The search for Sala and Dave Ibbotson restarted after a GoFundMe campaign supported by Premier League stars Laurent Koscielny and Ilkay Gundogan raised nearly £260,000.
Marine scientist David Mearns, 60, is set to arrive in Guernsey today to help local recovery experts with the hunt for the aircraft, reports the Mirror.
The initial search was called off on Thursday, but Mr Mearns will being scanning the 60m deep seabed around Casquets island where the plane was last seen in a specialist survey vessel.
He will most likely begin his search, which will use multi-beam sonar, remote control vehicles and a drop down camera, next week after bad weather passes through the area,
The world’s best shipwreck hunter is set to begin searching for the missing Cardiff City striker Emiliano Sala and his pilot using the latest undersea technology
Marine scientist David Mearns, 60, is set to arrive in Guernsey today to help local recovery experts with the hunt for the aircraft
Footballers, family and friends have all donated to the page which was set up by Emiliano’s agent Meissa N’Diaye’s Paris-based football agency, a screenshot of the broken total shown
Two large fishing vessels have been searching the area for the plane since Saturday morning.
Over 3,500 people had responded to the appeal for funds and the cash raised allowed the 28-year-old striker’s family to hire two search boats which started scouring the Channel again on Saturday.
Sport Cover, Sala’s agency, confirmed this morning that two Guernsey based fishing vessels are working in the area where the plane last had radar contact.
The target was broken today with the help of a €30,010 (£26,000) donation from French World Cup winner Kylin Mbappe.
A statement on the GoFundMe page read: ‘The call for funds launched late Friday afternoon allowed the relatives of Emiliano Sala, via a specialised organisation, to resume research in the Channel early Saturday morning. Two boats conduct the operations.’
Despite the striker’s sister Romina and his former club Nantes along with a whole host of huge names including Lionel Messi urging officials not to stop the search for the Piper PA-46 Malibu aircraft, it was called off on Thursday.
Emiliano Sala (pictured) has been missing since Monday after his plane went down over the English Channel
The plane that pilot David Ibbetson attempted to cross the Channel with before going down
Police said they were confident they had done everything they could to find Sala and pilot David Ibbotson, 60, and a former Guernsey harbourmaster said the search was ‘like looking for a needle in a haystack, when you don’t even know where the haystack is’.
The target for the fundraising page had originally been set at £129,000 (€150,000) euros but was bumped up to £259,000 (€300,00) after a spate of generous donations.
On Friday night Arsenal and Man United players, among others, sported black arm bands and took part in a moment of applause for the footballer.
But it has emerged that his family had requested for Everton and Millwall players not to wear them in the evening kick-off yesterday as he had not been confirmed dead.
The commentator, Jonathan Pearce said: ‘The eagle-eyed among you may spot that the players are not wearing black armbands – in the earlier Cup ties today the players were wearing black armbands in respect to Emiliano Sala, the new Cardiff striker whose plane went down earlier this week.
‘But his family contacted the FA earlier today and said they didn’t want the black armbands because the player has not been confirmed dead yet.
‘So that is why Millwall and Everton, out of respect to the family’s wishes, are not wearing those armbands.’
Piper Malibu carrying Sala from Nantes to Cardiff vanished over Alderney on Monday night and is feared to have plunged into one of the Channel’s most perilous areas, known as Hurd’s Deep
Footballer Adrien Rabiot boosted donations to the campaign yesterday afternoon by putting up €25,000 (£21,500), to help with the private search for Sala.
Several other footballers, including Arsenal captain Koscielny and Manchester City midfielder Gundogan also donated large sums to boost the total.
The cash appeal was launched by Sport Cover, the name of Emiliano’s agent Meissa N’Diaye’s Paris-based football agency.
A message on the web fundraiser, which carries the Spanish language hashtag #NoDejenDeBuscar Emiliano Sala and means ‘Don’t Stop Looking for Emiliano Sala’, said: ‘This fund was created in response to the urgency of the situation and the authorities’ decision not to pursue the search.
‘Its sole objective, through a specialized non-profit organization, is to help the family of Emiliano and pilot Dave Ibbotson continue the search.
The led screen shows a tribute to Emiliano Sala prior to the FA Cup Fourth Round match between Swansea City and Gillingham at Liberty Stadium in Swansea today
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola during a minute’s silence for Emiliano Sala before their match against Burnley in the fourth round of the FA Cup
Manchester City players take part in a minute of silence for Emiliano Sala
‘Thank you for helping with the amount you want.’
An update offered yesterday said that the raise in donation cap was to cover the duration of the ultimate search with a consideration for weather conditions and the cost of any towing.
‘We hope to cover the maximum expenses related to our quest. The family and we thank you once again for your exceptional generosity: players, clubs, staffs and anonymous,’ it said.
Laurent Koscielny donated €2,000 while Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan donated the same
Burnley staff hold a minute silence for Emiliano Sala prior to kick-off against Manchester City
Portsmouth players during a minutes silence for the missing Cardiff player
he led screen shows a tribute to Emiliano Sala prior to the FA Cup Fourth Round match between Middlesbrough and Newport County at the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough
One fan who donated 20 euros wrote: ‘Emiliano, if there’s only the slightest hope I’m donating these 20 euros for the resumption of the search.
‘You are in my heart and I want to help your family find you in any way I can.
‘Whatever happens, you will always be in my thoughts. You are a great footballer and a wonderful person.
David Ibbotson, 60, the pilot at the controls of the privately-owned Piper Malibu aircraft carrying star footballer Sala as it emerged the investigation will involve checking the flight was legal
Emiliano Sala is missing presumed dead after the plane he and pilot Dave Ibbotson were taking to Cardiff dropped off radar over the Channel Islands on Monday evening
‘Hoping to see you back on the pitch again soon. Good luck my friend.’
The official search and rescue operation for the Piper PA-46 Malibu taking new Cardiff City signing Sala, 28, from Nantes in France to the Welsh capital was called off on Thursday, three days after the small aircraft went missing over the Channel.
The plane went down on Monday night, hurtling the pair into the English Channel which has been suffering from an arctic blast blown over from Europe.
This is while other footballers from across the world have donated to the cause. French footballer Nordi Mukiele, donated €4,000, while Valencia player Geoffrey Kondogbia, donated €2,000.
Meanwhile, a model friend of the missing footballer has backtracked on claims that the ‘football mafia’ should be investigated over his dissapearance.
Berenice Schkair, 27, claimed she acted on impulse after discovering the plane he was on had disappeared over the Channel.
She posted a series of online messages earlier in the week insisting in one before deleting it: ‘Investigate the football mafia because I don’t believe this was an accident.’
She also published photos of her with the footballer together on Instagram, writing: ‘Emi, my heart is broken. I still cannot understand it, I’m destroyed, I feel pain, fear and anger for not being able to do anything. I know you’re strong. We are waiting for you.’
Berenice told an Argentinian TV programme overnight they had last spoken the day before the crash, although she insisted she was just a ‘good friend’ and not an ex-girlfriend or his current partner as initially reported.
Fighting back tears, she said as she referred to the footballer by his shortened name of Emi: ‘I spoke with him last Sunday. We didn’t speak the day he disappeared and on Tuesday I woke up in Argentina to messages from friends who had sent me links to the news on the TV.
‘I couldn’t believe it at first and I had a bad feeling and made the mistake of tweeting what I did.
‘I regret doing what I did now because I didn’t have any real information.
‘I feel it was inappropriate of me to do what I did then and until Emi’s body appears I don’t think it’s the right time to be analysing anything.
‘Who if anyone is to blame is going to be resolved by investigators. I can’t blame anyone right now.
‘At the moment I just want to add my grain of sand to the campaign to make sure the search is resumed and everything possible is done to find Emi and the pilot.’
Cardiff City launch internal investigation into Emiliano Sala plane tragedy ‘ahead of negligence claim as the club faces a £14m loss despite insurance payouts’
Cardiff City have launched an internal investigation into the circumstances that lead to the Emiliano Sala plane tragedy ahead of a potential negligence claim, as the club face a £14 million loss – even with insurance payouts.
Officials at the Welsh club are ‘increasingly concerned’ about the circumstances that led to the striker’s disappearance and payments to Sala’s old club Nantes have now been frozen.
A source insisted that Cardiff ‘will pay whatever is due, once they have established all the answers and can determine all the facts’.
However, senior figures at the club are believed to be unhappy at the decision to fly their record signing across the English Channel in a single-engined plane built in 1984 and being piloted by a part-time gas engineer.
Emiliano Sala (pictured) has been missing since Monday after his plane went down over the English Channel
Accountants estimate that Cardiff could face a bill of £30 million over the transfer, with just over half covered by accident insurance.
The club has continued to maintain it was not involved in the organisation of the flight, which was booked by Sala’s agent and agent Willie McKay, who acted as an intermediary in the transfer deal.
In a statement, the club told the Telegraph: ‘Cardiff has made its position very clear that it had nothing to do with the arrangements of the flight, and now new information is coming in every day as we are continuing to investigate the chain of events and the cause of the accident. We are looking at the potential possibility of negligence that may have caused the accident.’
However, a senior official told the BBC today that Cardiff have started an internal inquiry but denied reports the club is considering a multi-million pound negligence lawsuit.
Cardif are ‘particularly keen’ to discuss events with the owners of the US-registered Piper PA-46-310P Malibu.
David Ibbotson, 60, the pilot at the controls of the privately-owned Piper Malibu aircraft carrying star footballer Sala as it emerged the investigation will involve checking the flight was legal
In terms of money, Cardiff agreed a £20 million transfer fee, one that would go up by £3 million if the club survived relegation.
The Argentinean striker was due at his first training session in Wales on Tuesday and transfer documents had already been filed with the Football Association and with Fifa.
Cardiff are thought to be covered for £16 million of personal injury protection with Lloyd’s.
The club’s accident policy is thought to be led by China Re Syndicate 2088, with Sala’s name likely to have been added to the club’s police when his transfer was completed – two days before his disappearance.
The Piper Malibu aircraft is also insured in the London market.
The transfer fee was set to be paid in three installments with Sala’s agent Meissa N’Diaye, and McKay also due significant payments.
The £30 million bill includes Sala’s salary.
Cardiff also expect to lose money that could have come from shirt sales and sponsorship.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (above) and other Arsenal players wore black armbands alongside Manchester United footballers last night
Both sides wore armbands at the match last night following the search being called off
The main reason Sala wanted to fly back to Nantes was to get his black Labrador Nala, it has been revealed. A source close to the transfer told MailOnline: ‘Emiliano was desperate to fly back after signing to Cardiff to see Nala and make sure he was in Kennels ahead of moving him to Cardiff. They were inseperable’
Model Berenice Schkair, 27, made the extraordinary claim on social media after the new Cardiff City star’s plane went missing over the English Channel after taking off in Nantes, France
Timeline: How the Sala plane tragedy unfolded
‘The Last Goodbye’: Emiliano Sala posted this photograph on Instagram on Monday, bidding farewell to his old teammates at Nantes Football Club, after he signed a record £15 million contract with Cardiff City. It is believed to be the last photo of him
Friday, January 18: Sala travels to Cardiff to have a medical and discuss personal terms
Saturday, January 19: Cardiff agrees £15m deal with Nantes to sign the player who then flies back to France
Sunday, January 20: Argentinian star goes to say a final goodbye to his former teammates and poses for a poignant final photo (pictured). His pilot checks in at the city’s airport as he waits for him as he collects his belongings.
Monday, January 21: Sala boards flight from Nantes to Cardiff at 7.15pm but it disappears at 8.30pm
Wednesday, January 23: Search and rescue teams say there is ‘no hope’ and reveal operation around Alderney is now a recovery one, not a rescue mission
Thursday, January 24: The search for the men is ended
She had said before backtracking: ‘The abandonment of Emiliano and the missing pilot by the clubs and governments is shameful.
‘No-one is taking responsibility and everyone is washing their hands of them. What a total injustice.’
This comes as many people slammed the decision to end the search social media, including boxer Ohara Davies who asked why millions was spent on the Madeleine McCann search but the search for Sala ended after just a few days.
The president of former Nantes striker Sala’s boyhood Argentinian club has also said he must be found dead or alive and described officials who called off the rescue operation as ‘cold.’
Daniel Rivero, president of San Martin de Progreso where Emiliano played football until he was 15, said: ‘Unless we see evidence they’re not, we continue to believe Emiliano and the pilot are alive. Nothing’s appeared so far to back up the idea there’s been an accident.
‘This is an international incident and we are going to carry on doing what we can to keep up the pressure and soften peoples’ hearts a bit.
‘If in the worst case scenario that they are not alive, we want Emiliano’s body found just the same, for everyone but especially his family so they can at least have somewhere to bury him and take flowers to him.
‘Otherwise this is going to be a circle that can never be closed.’
Asked if the officials who led the search would have been touched by the drama as much as people in the town of Progreso in Santa Fe province where Emiliano spent most of his childhood, he said: ‘They’re cold, they’re special, they’re not as hot-blooded as us.
‘They’re stricter, more bound by protocol. That has its advantages and disadvantages and for us it’s a disadvantage.
‘They have a different idiosyncrasy, a different type of training. I’m not saying they’re less interested but they do what they have to do and they don’t budge a centimetre from that.’
Emiliano’s family also sent a letter to Argentinian President Mauricio Macri urging him to pressure the British and French governments into trying to make sure the search was resumed.
Emiliano’s family also sent a letter to Argentinian President Mauricio Macri (pictured above)
Overnight it emerged father-of-three Macri has asked his Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie to talk to his counterparts in France and Britain.
A statement issued by the President’s office said: ‘President Mauricio Macri has instructed his Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie to make a formal request to the governments of Great Britain and France for them to seek the continuance of the search efforts.’
Several Argentinian footballers including Lionel Messi and new Chelsea signing Gonzalo Higuain have campaigned on social media for a resumption of the operation.
Several Argentinian footballers including Lionel Messi (pictured above) have campaigned on social media
Rescue teams have scanned around 1,700 square miles and examined mobile phone data and satellite imagery but found no trace of the aircraft, which disappeared from radar on Monday evening.
Guernsey’s harbour master Captain David Barker saids when he confirmed the ‘difficult’ decision to call of the search that the chances of survival were ‘extremely remote.’
He has acknowledged Sala’s family were ‘not content’ with the decisions to stop searching but said he was ‘absolutely confident’ no more could have been done.
He insisted yesterday: ‘I can’t begin to imagine how they must be feeling, but I do understand and I hope they will find some comfort from the fact that we are not closing this incident.’
Earlier this week one of Britain’s leading aviation experts, Julian Bray, told MailOnline that if the wreckage is ever found investigators will try to work out if its instruments froze and failed in the Arctic blast currently in northern Europe.
Cardiff City FC CEO Ken Choo (left) and the footballer’s sister Romina Sala (right), visited the stadium to see the floral tributes left for Sala
It also emerged that pilot Dave Ibbotson, 60, a father of four boiler engineer from Scunthorpe, touted for ‘odd flying jobs’ on Facebook and had four outstanding county court judgments, totalling £18,000, at the time of the crash.
The main reason Sala wanted to fly back to Nantes was to get his black Labrador Nala, it has been revealed.
A source close to the transfer told MailOnline: ‘Emiliano was desperate to fly back after signing to Cardiff to see Nala and make sure he was in Kennels ahead of moving him to Cardiff. They were inseparable’.
Mr Bray said that a device called a ‘pitot tube’ on the outside of the aircraft is prone to problems in extreme cold, including giving false altitude readings.
The striker often posted photos and videos with his beloved pet dog Nala on his social media accounts
He said: ‘Just before they vanished the pilot asked to drop from 5,00ft to 2,500ft, which is very unusual indeed.
‘It is possible that he dropped down to try to thaw his instruments’.
Suggesting he could have crashed directly into the Channel in the dark he added: ‘I’m wondering if he was at a much lower level than he thought.
‘The sensor may have frozen and gave a different height reading’.
Mr Ibbotson, from Scunthorpe, gained his private pilot’s licence in the US but does not have a commercial licence for paid for or scheduled flights
The plane is feared to have sunk in Hurd’s Deep – the 600ft deep underwater valley where British submarine HMS Affray sits on the seabed after sinking in 1951.
It lies next to tonnes of radioactive waste, chemical weapons and munitions dumped into its depths after both world wars.
Ships passing through the Channel are now being asked to look out for debris – but Sala’s family are furious at the decision to stop searching for the 28-year-old.
In emotional scenes outside the St David’s Hotel in Cardiff, his sister Romina Sala begged: ‘Please, please, please don’t stop the search.’
This is the plane that Sala and the pilot were in when in vanished over the sea – it appears to be registered to a company in Norfolk
She told the media: ‘We understand the facts and we really appreciate the efforts.
‘We want to say thanks to the two clubs 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.
‘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.’
She added: ‘The last time I spoke to him was on Monday before he said farewell to the Nantes players. He was really excited about coming to Cardiff and we were talking all day.’
Emiliano Sala: How Premier League clubs were desperate to get their hands on the Argentinian hotshot who was beating Lionel Messi in goal charts
Emiliano Sala and Ken Choo CEO on January 18 in Cardiff as the striker got set to sign his three-and-a-half-year contact
Sala was born in Santa Fe, the Argentine province where Lionel Messi was born, and began his football career for Proyecto Crecer in Córdoba.
The club was directly affiliated with French side FC Girondins de Bordeaux so Sala moved to Europe to sign for the club at the age of 20 and made his debut for them in February 2012 in a cup tie against Lyon.
The 6ft2ins forward then spent the whole 2012-13 season on loan at Championnat National outfit US Orléans, where he scored 19 goals in 37 domestic league appearances.
The following season he spent on loan at Ligue 2 club Chamois Niortais where he scored a further 20 goals in 40 games in all competitions.
After playing the first half of the 2014-15 season for Bordeaux, where his overall record was one goal in 12 appearances, Sala was then loaned to another Ligue 1 club SM Caen for the second half where he scored five goals in 13 appearances.
But it was following a move to Nantes in the summer of 2015 for a reported one million euros where Sala really began to make a name for himself.
He spent four successful seasons at the club where he notched up 48 goals in 130 games – including 12 league goals in 19 appearances this season – to earn himself a move to the Premier League, becoming Cardiff City’s record signing.
His overall career record to date stands at 93 goals in 232 appearances.
Premier League side Cardiff had been keeping close tabs on Sala throughout the current campaign and this season’s record of 12 goals in 19 Ligue 1 games prompted the Bluebirds spend big money on the Argentine.
In November, Sala was outscoring Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi in the goal charts but still remained uncapped by Argentina.
With 10 goals for the season Sala was his country’s most prolific striker ahead of fellow countrymen Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Mauro Icardi.
Manager Neil Warnock personally went to watch Sala in action on December 5 and saw the Premier League new boy score in the 30th minute.
Cardiff were not the only Premier League club tracking Sala as Leicester, Burnley, West Ham and Everton all expressed an interest in the highly coveted marksman.
The Premier League strugglers signed Sala on a three-and-a-half-year contact on Saturday.
Before agreeing to move to Wales, Sala had played his entire professional career in France.
He started his career at Bordeaux where he progressed through the ranks after originally joining their youth team in 2010.