Air accident investigators have confirmed that there is one body present in the wreckage of the light aircraft which crashed over the English Channel while flying Premier League footballer Emiliano Sala from Nantes in France to Cardiff in the UK.
However, there is no confirmation yet as to whether the body is that of Argentinian Sala or the pilot of the plane, David Ibottson, according to the Daily Mail. It is also possible that both bodies are present, but only one is visible at the moment.
Bad weather in the English channel means that efforts to salvage the wreckage had to be abandoned for today and may not be able to resume for several days.
"Tragically, in video footage from the ROV, one occupant is visible amidst the wreckage. The AAIB is now considering the next steps, in consultation with the families of the pilot and passenger, and the police," a spokesperson for the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) said today.
They have released an image which shows the rear left side of the fuselage of the Piper Malibu light aircraft, including part of the aircraft registration, N264DB.
Speaking to the press in his native Argentina, Emiliano Sala's father Horacio was devastated by the news. "I cannot believe it.... this is a dream... a bad dream... I'm desperate," he said.
