Emiliano Sala search: seat cushions found on France's Surtainville beach ‘likely’ from missing footballer's plane
- Investigators believe two seat cushions found on French coast came from Emiliano Sala’s disappeared plane
- Nantes fans pay emotional tribute to former striker as team plays their first game since Sala vanished
The French city of Nantes paid an emotional tribute to Emiliano Sala at the Stade de la Beaujoire on Wednesday, the same day that seat cushions recovered from the sea were linked to his plane.
Before their Ligue 1 match with Saint-Etienne, the first since their former striker’s plane disappeared over the Channel last week, Nantes unveiled a large photo of Sala in the centre-circle and the Argentine’s former teammates donned T-shirts with “We love you Emi” written on the back.
The 28-year-old had been travelling from Nantes to his new club, Wales’ Cardiff City, when the plane went missing, with pilot David Ibbotson the only other person on board.
British investigators said earlier on Wednesday it was “likely” that two seat cushions that have washed up on the French shore were from the missing aircraft.
At Wednesday’s match, tearful supporters unfurled banners supporting Sala and flew Argentinian flags in the stands, held a minute’s applause and chanted his name. All the Nantes players played in shirts featuring Sala’s name instead of their own.
Former Nantes forward Yacine Bammou, who became a close friend of Sala’s before leaving for Caen, was in tears in the stands, while coach Vahid Halilhodzic also struggled to contain his emotions.
