The father of missing Cardiff City striker Emiliano Sala has reacted with despair at the news that the plane carrying his son has been found at the bottom of the English Channel.
The 28-year-old was being flown from Nantes to the Welsh capital by pilot David Ibbotson on January 21 - just days after his £15m transfer to the Premier League side - when the plane disappeared off radar.
A search and rescue operation was abandoned after three days but yesterday a private search operation discovered the plane inside a few hours.
Speaking to Cronica TV in his native Argentina, Sala's father Horacio said: "I can not believe it. This is a dream. A bad dream. I'm desperate.
"I communicated with them every day, but since I do not have Whatsapp it's hard to call them or call me.
"They told me that the days passed and there was no news of Emiliano or the plane."
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) will now take over the operation in an attempt to recover the wreckage.
Neil Wilkes
