Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Emiliano Sala signed for Cardiff City on Saturday

Premier League footballer Emiliano Sala was on a light aircraft which went missing over the Channel Islands.

The £15m Argentine striker, 28, was one of two people on board the Piper Malibu which lost contact off Alderney in the Channel Islands on Monday night.

Cardiff City, which signed Sala from French club Nantes in a record deal on Saturday, said it was "very shocked".

Guernsey Police said there was "no trace" of the Cardiff-bound flight and has suspended the search for the night.

"We have found no signs of those on board," the force tweeted.

"If they did land on the water, the chances of survival are at this stage, unfortunately, slim."

Hundreds of fans gathered in Place Royale, Nantes and laying tulips at a fountain.

The gesture is a tribute to Sala and the pilot on board the flight.

Image caption Nantes fans gathered in the city to pay tribute to their former striker

Image caption Flowers have been placed in Place Royale, Nantes in tribute to the player

Sala's father, Horacio, told Argentine TV channel C5N, he heard the news from a friend.

"I didn't know anything. I couldn't believe it," he said. "I'm desperate. I hope everything goes well."

Meanwhile, John Fitzgerald, chief officer of the Channel Islands Air Search, said the probability of finding anyone alive from the missing aircraft was "reducing very rapidly".

Image caption Map showing location of Alderney and lighthouse

"I think with the sea temperatures and the sea conditions the chances of finding anybody alive are reducing all the time," he said.

"The sea temperatures are very, very cold and just sap the core temperature of anybody in the water very, very quickly."

The plane left Nantes in north west France at 19:15 and had been flying at 5,000ft when it contacted Jersey air traffic control requesting descent, Guernsey Police said.

The plane lost contact while at 2,300ft and disappeared off radar near the Casquets lighthouse, infamous among mariners as the site of many shipwrecks, eight miles (13km) north-west of Alderney.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Emiliano Sala: Cardiff city director 'lost for words'

The force added UK authorities have been calling airfields on the south coast to see if it landed there but there had been no confirmations and a decision about an overnight search would be made at sunset.

A spokesman for the French Civil Aviation Authority said the Piper PA 46 Malibu aircraft was French but had not been registered in France.

"We can confirm Emiliano Sala was on board," he said.

"This morning, the French research started with one French national navy ship and one aircraft. The investigation will determine which authority will take the lead on the research."

Sightings of red flares were reported during a lifeboat and helicopter search, but "nothing of significance was found", a Channel Islands Air Search spokeswoman said.

Police said on Tuesday more than 1,150sq miles had been searched by five aircraft and two lifeboats. The search had resumed after being called off overnight "due to strengthening winds, worsening sea conditions and reducing visibility".

Cardiff Airport confirmed the aircraft was due to arrive from Nantes at 20:45 but "did not arrive as planned.

Spencer Birns, commercial director at the airport, said: "We are in close contact with the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) and will continue to assist with their enquiries in any way we can."

Guernsey harbour master Captain David Barker said no distress call had been received and if the search continues into the night it is unlikely to have a good outcome.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Cardiff City signed the 28-year-old from French club Nantes

Image caption Flowers have been left outside the Cardiff City Stadium

"We are looking for any traces of an aircraft, a life raft, persons in the water, life jackets," he said.

The Met Office said conditions were not "too intense" at the time the aircraft went missing but had become wetter and windier later in the evening.

John Fernandez, a reporter for BBC Guernsey, said it was a difficult area to search.

"A number of search vessels are out searching the area. It's known for its strong currents - there are a number of shipwrecks," he added.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Emiliano Sala told Cardiff City he wanted to "start training and get down to work"

"The search area is absolutely massive at the moment. They're searching a number of different spots at the moment - they're not sure whereabouts this plane might have gone down."

'Last goodbye'

Cardiff signed Sala for a club record fee after protracted negotiations with Nantes and he was due to join his new teammates for training on Tuesday.

In a statement, the club's chief executive Ken Choo said training had been cancelled and they were praying for "positive news" for the player and pilot.

He added: "We were very shocked upon hearing the news that the plane had gone missing. We expected Emiliano to arrive last night into Cardiff and today was due to be his first day with the team.

Image copyright Guernsey Police Image caption Police tweeted a map of the area which had been searched

"Our owner, Tan Sri Vincent Tan, and chairman, Mehmet Dalman, are all very distressed about the situation."

He has been among the top scorers in France in recent years and had scored 13 league and cup goals this season, third behind Kylian Mbappe and Nicolas Pepe.

Nantes president Waldemar Kita said: "I'm thinking of his friends, his family, I'm still in hope, he's a fighter, it's not over, maybe he's somewhere, waiting for some news that we hope will be positive, we are very touched by all the support received since this morning."

Sala began his playing career at Argentine side Club Proyecto Crecer, before moving to French club Girondins Bordeaux in 2012.

His previous side, Nantes, has postponed its games against Entente on Wednesday and St Etienne on Saturday, according to its match schedule.

The most recent tweet from Sala's account was a picture of him and his former team-mates, captioned "La ultima ciao", or "the last goodbye".

Local journalist Arnaud Wajdzik said the atmosphere in Nantes was "very emotional", and people planned to gather in the town square on Tuesday evening for a vigil.</s>'The search is ongoing and a decision whether to continue will be taken later today.'The search for a missing plane carrying Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala and a pilot is now a recovery operation, the Channel Islands Air Search has said.The 28-year-old Argentine, who completed his move from Nantes on Saturday, was on board an aircraft which disappeared from radar near the Channel Islands on Monday evening.Guernsey Police said it had searched 280 square miles using multiple aircraft over five hours on Wednesday, but there was "as yet no trace" of the missing aircraft."The search is ongoing and a decision whether to continue will be taken later today," a police spokesman said.Emiliano Sala voiced fears about the safety of the missing plane in an audio message he sent while on board.The Channel Islands Air Search has confirmed the search has moved from a rescue to a recovery operation."I think very much it is that sort of recovery stage now," said chief officer John Fitzgerald."It's trying to find parts of the aircraft, whatever is floating on the surface."Guernsey Police earlier said it was considering four possibilities for the fate of the plane - including that it landed on water, with Sala and the pilot making it onto a life raft known to be on board.The other possibilities included the plane landing elsewhere, but had not made contact, that Sala and the pilot landed on water and were picked up by a passing ship, or that the plane broke up on contact with the water - leaving them in the sea.Rescuers have also reviewed satellite images and mobile phone data in the hope of finding the pair.The forward, who scored 12 goals in 19 appearances for French Ligue 1 side Nantes this season, reportedly voiced fears about the safety of the missing plane in a WhatsApp audio message he sent to friends in France while on board.In the message sent to his friends' group, a voice - reported to be Sala's - is heard saying: "I am here in the plane and it feels like it's falling to pieces." He later adds: "I'm scared."Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman revealed to Sky Sports News on Wednesday that he was in France to establish more about the circumstances of what happened, saying he would "not leave a single stone unturned until we have all the facts".Dalman also stated the club did not charter the aircraft.Further details have been revealed about the aircraft. It is registered in America and 35 years old.According to Sky sources, the UK representatives of Sala employed a commercial pilot to organise the flights. He subsequently sub-contracted the job onto a third party, who actually operated the flights.Channel Islands Air Search chief officer John Fitzgerald gave the latest on the search for the missing planeCardiff are speaking to Sala's family and they have invited the striker's sister to Cardiff. She is likely to arrive in Wales on Wednesday.Asked if Cardiff's Premier League game at Arsenal next Tuesday would be postponed, Dalman said he "would be surprised if there was a change to the schedule".It is understood Cardiff will resume training on Wednesday but French club Nantes cancelled their session.Nantes fans are discussing whether to organise a silent march later this week.</s>The search for the plane carrying Emiliano Sala resumed on Wednesday

The search for a missing plane carrying footballer Emiliano Sala and a pilot is now a recovery operation, as officials confirmed they will decide later today whether to continue looking for the pair.

Cardiff City's new striker was travelling on a light aircraft that disappeared from radars over the English Channel during a flight from Nantes in western France on Monday evening.

Guernsey Police said it had searched 280 square miles using multiple aircraft over five hours on Wednesday, but there was "as yet no trace" of the missing plane.

"The search is ongoing and a decision whether to continue will be taken later today," a spokesman for the force said.

The Channel Islands Air Search has confirmed the search has moved from a rescue to a recovery operation.

Guernsey Police had earlier said it was looking at four possibilities for the fate of the plane - including that it landed on water, with Sala and the pilot making it onto a life raft known to be on board.

The other possibilities being explored included that the plane had landed elsewhere but had not made contact, that Sala and the pilot landed on water and were picked up by a passing ship, or that the plane broke up on contact with the water - leaving them in the sea.

Rescuers have also reviewed satellite images and mobile phone data in the hope of finding the pair.

Police had previously warned that the chances of Sala and the pilot surviving were "slim" if the aircraft landed on water.

The footballer reportedly voiced fears about the safety of the missing plane in a WhatsApp audio message he sent to friends while on board.

In the message, a voice - reported to be Sala's - is heard saying: "I am here in the plane that seems is about to fall to pieces."

Addressing the media in his home country of Argentina, the footballer's father said he was "beginning to think the worst".

Horacio Sala said: "The hours pass and I am just beginning to think the worst.

"We were in touch on Sunday. He was so happy that he was going there, to an even bigger club."

Concerns were raised when the 28-year-old failed to respond to messages on social media after reports he had been travelling to the UK on Monday.

The Argentinian forward, who had played in France since 2012, made Cardiff City history when he was bought for a record fee of £15m on a three-and-a-half year deal from Nantes at the weekend.

The search for the missing aircraft was suspended overnight on Tuesday, with rescue teams finding "no signs" of the plane.

Cardiff City chairman Mehmet Dalman confirmed the club had not booked the aircraft for the trip and Sala had "made his own arrangements".

The PA-46 Malibu, a single turbine engine aircraft, left Nantes for Cardiff at 7.15pm on Monday and after requesting to descend, it lost contact with Jersey air traffic control.

Nantes' next Coupe de France match was postponed following Sala's disappearance and fans gathered in the city's Place Royale on Tuesday night to sing songs and lay tributes.

Cardiff's next match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday is expected to go ahead as planned.</s>Rescue workers have resumed their search for the plane carrying Cardiff City’s new signing Emiliano Sala that went missing over the English Channel, Guernsey Police said.

Two planes took off on Wednesday morning to search a “targeted area” where there is the “highest likelihood” of finding anything based on a review of tides and the weather.

Coastal areas around Alderney and off-lying rocks and islands will also be searched from the air, police said.

The search resumes after a WhatsApp voice message emerged that Sala sent to friends while on the plane bound for Cardiff.

In the recording the footballer says he is “getting scared” and “aboard a plane that seems like it is falling to pieces”.

The search for the missing plane was suspended at sunset on Tuesday with rescue teams finding “no signs” of the plane.

The single-turbine engine Piper PA-46 Malibu, carrying the footballer and his pilot, has been missing since it disappeared off radar on Monday night.

It left Nantes at 7.15pm for Cardiff, and after requesting to descend, lost contact with Jersey air traffic control.

Five aircraft and two lifeboats have searched more than 1,000 square miles of sea but found “no trace” of the plane.

Guernsey Police said the chances of survival were “slim”.

Sala was signed by Premier League strugglers Cardiff for a club record £15 million to bolster their attack and was due to start training on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old posted a picture with his former Nantes team-mates on Monday captioned “the last goodbye” before flying to Wales.

Sala’s father Horacio told Argentinian news channel C5N he felt “desperate” since learning his son’s plane was missing.

Cardiff’s chief executive Ken Choo said the club were “shocked” and “distressed” by news.

Nantes’ next Coupe de France match was postponed and fans gathered in the city’s Place Royale on Tuesday night to sing songs and lay tributes.</s>The search for a plane carrying Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala and a pilot is now a recovery operation, according to the Channel Islands Air Search.

The search for a plane carrying Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala and a pilot is now a recovery operation, according to the Channel Islands Air Search.

Guernsey Police have found “no trace” of the missing plane which was carrying Sala after resuming the search on Wednesday.

The search and rescue operation has targeted an area of 280 square miles around Alderney using multiple aircraft from the Channel Islands, France and the United Kingdom.

Asked if that operation was now more about recovery than rescue, Channel Islands Air Search chief officer John Fitzgerald told Sky Sports News: “I think it is very much that sort of recovery stage now.”

“I think it’s more trying to work out what went on with the aircraft, trying to find parts of the aircraft, whatever is floating around on the surface.”

In an update published at 1330, Guernsey Police said “the search is ongoing and a decision whether to continue will be taken later today”.

The search, which was halted at 1700 on Tuesday, had begun once again at 0730 on Wednesday morning.

Guernsey Police confirmed they are conducting the search based on four possibilities.

The update read: “We are searching based on four possibilities: 1. They have landed elsewhere but not made contact.

“2. They landed on water, have been picked up by a passing ship but not made contact.

“3. They landed on water and made it into the life raft we know was on board.

“4. The aircraft broke up on contact with the water, leaving them in the sea. Our search area is prioritised on the life raft option. More updates as information becomes available.”

The chances of finding Sala alive are “slim” if the plane landed on water, Guernsey Police had said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.

Sala was aboard a light aircraft which disappeared from radar en route from Nantes to Cardiff on Monday evening.

The search resumed after a WhatsApp voice message emerged that Sala sent to friends while on the plane bound for Cardiff.

In the recording, the footballer says he is “getting scared” and “aboard a plane that seems like it is falling to pieces” as reported on Ole.com.ar.

According to Guernsey Police, the Piper PA-46 Malibu, a single turbine engine aircraft carrying two people, departed Nantes at 1915 for the Welsh capital and was flying at an altitude of 5,000ft.

On passing Guernsey it “requested descent”, but Jersey air traffic control (ATC) lost contact with the plane while it was flying at 2,300ft.

After a 15-hour search from rescue teams, which covered an area totalling 1,155 square miles, Guernsey Police revealed that “a number of floating objects” were seen in the water, but they were “unable to confirm whether any of these are from the missing aircraft”.

Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman, who is in France, told BBC Radio Wales: “We will not leave a single stone unturned until we have all the facts.”

Asked if Cardiff’s Premier League game at Arsenal next Tuesday would be postponed, Dalman replied: “I would be surprised if there’s a change to the schedule.”

Dalman also confirmed that the club had not booked the plane for the trip, adding that Sala had “made his own arrangements”.

On Tuesday, Cardiff’s executive director Ken Choo expressed his shock and distress at the news.

Sala, 28, was on his way back to Wales after saying goodbye to his Nantes team-mates on Monday night.

Choo described Sala as a “great person” and revealed he had been “so happy” to sign for Cardiff.

Sala had signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with the Welsh club after scoring 12 Ligue 1 goals in 19 appearances this season.

Choo revealed Sala had described joining the Bluebirds as “one of the best days of his life”.

Cardiff have been in contact with Sala’s family as they wait for news.

Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri, who coached Sala at Nantes, added in a statement on Twitter: “I was devastated to hear the news. Emiliano is a wonderful character.

“He’s a fighter. The world of football will be united in wishing for some positive news. I pray for Emiliano and his family.”

French sports newspaper L’Equipe carried the search for Sala on its front page on Wednesday with the headline: “The disappearance of a warrior”.

Nantes’ Coupe de France clash with third-tier Entente Sannois, scheduled for Wednesday evening, has been postponed until Sunday while their Ligue 1 fixture against St Etienne – originally due to take place on Saturday – has been moved to Wednesday, January 30.

Sala, a native of Santa Fe in Argentina, played at youth level for Club Proyecto Crecer in his home country before being snapped up by French club Bordeaux in 2010.

He was then sent out on a series of loans to Orleans, Niort and Caen and, after failing to make more than a handful of appearances for Bordeaux, joined Nantes in 2015.

It was in Brittany where his career began to flourish.

Sala’s hat-trick against Toulouse in October 2018 was the first by any Nantes player in Ligue 1 since 2006.

Cardiff signed the forward in a deal reportedly worth in the region of £15million, breaking the previous record of £11million paid for Gary Medel in 2013.</s>Guernsey Police have resumed the search for the missing plane which was carrying new Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala.

Guernsey Police have resumed the search for the missing plane which was carrying new Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala.

The search and rescue operation – which included multiple air and sea assets from the Channel Islands, UK and France – was suspended for the day at 1700 on Tuesday night, with the intention to resume at sunrise.

In an update released at 7.30am on Wednesday, Guernsey Police confirmed that the search had begun once again.

“We have resumed searching. Two planes are taking off & will search a targeted area we believe has the highest likelihood of finding anything, based on review of the tides and weather since it went missing,” the update read.

“Coastal areas around Alderney and off-lying rocks and islands will also be searched from the air. Updates will be provided once information is available.”

The chances of finding Sala alive are “slim” if the plane landed on water, Guernsey Police had said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.

The French Civil Aviation Authority said Sala was aboard a light aircraft which disappeared from radar en route from Nantes to Cardiff on Monday evening.

The search resumes after a WhatsApp voice message emerged that Sala sent to friends while on the plane bound for Cardiff.

In the recording, the footballer says he is “getting scared” and “aboard a plane that seems like it is falling to pieces” as reported on Ole.com.ar.

According to Guernsey Police, the Piper PA-46 Malibu, a single turbine engine aircraft carrying two people, departed Nantes at 7.15pm for the Welsh capital and was flying at an altitude of 5,000ft.

On passing Guernsey it “requested descent”, but Jersey air traffic control (ATC) lost contact with the plane while it was flying at 2,300ft.

After a 15-hour search from rescue teams, which covered an area totalling 1,155 square miles, Guernsey Police revealed that “a number of floating objects” were seen in the water, but they were “unable to confirm whether any of these are from the missing aircraft”.

A statement posted on the official Twitter account of Guernsey Police said: “We have found no signs of those on board. If they did land on the water, the chances of survival are at this stage, unfortunately, slim.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Cardiff’s executive director Ken Choo expressed his shock and distress at the news.

Sala, 28, was on his way back to Wales after saying goodbye to his Nantes team-mates on Monday night.

Choo described Sala as a “great person” and revealed he had been “so happy” to sign for Cardiff.

“You could see from his face he is so, so happy to be here and ready to start,” Choo said in an in-house TV interview.

“Words cannot describe the look on his face when he met us, we walked him around the ground, he was absolutely ready to give it a go.

“We really feel sad to hear of this news because we met such a great person.”

Sala had signed a three-and-a-half year deal with the Welsh club after scoring 12 Ligue 1 goals in 19 appearances this season.

Choo revealed Sala had described joining the Bluebirds as “one of the best days of his life”.

Cardiff have been in contact with Sala’s family as they wait for news.

Nantes president Waldemar Kita added on the French club’s website: “I’ll always have hope, he’s a fighter. It’s not over, maybe he’s somewhere.”

Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri, who coached Sala at Nantes, added in a statement on Twitter: “I was devastated to hear the news. Emiliano is a wonderful character.

“He’s a fighter. The world of football will be united in wishing for some positive news. I pray for Emiliano and his family.”

French sports newspaper L’Equipe carried the search for Sala on its front page on Wednesday with the headline: “The disappearance of a warrior”.

Nantes’ Coupe de France clash with third-tier Entente Sannois, scheduled for Wednesday evening, has been postponed until Sunday while their Ligue 1 fixture against St Etienne – originally due to take place on Saturday – has been moved to Wednesday, January 30.

Sala, a native of Santa Fe in Argentina, played at youth level for Club Proyecto Crecer in his home country before being snapped up by French club Bordeaux in 2010.

He was then sent out on a series of loans to Orleans, Niort and Caen and, after failing to make more than a handful of appearances for Bordeaux, joined Nantes in 2015.

It was in Brittany where his career began to flourish.

Sala’s hat-trick against Toulouse in October 2018 was the first by any Nantes player in Ligue 1 since 2006.

Cardiff signed the forward in a deal reportedly worth in the region of £15million, breaking the previous record of £11million paid for Gary Medel in 2013.</s>The future of the search for a plane carrying Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala and a pilot is now in doubt, with Guernsey Police saying they are considering whether it should be continued.

In an update, Guernsey Police said “the search is ongoing and a decision whether to continue will be taken later today”.

Meanwhile, Channel Islands Air Search say the mission has become a “recovery operation”.

Guernsey Police have found “no trace” of the missing plane which was carrying Sala after resuming the search on Wednesday.

The search-and-rescue operation has targeted an area of 280sq miles around Alderney using multiple aircraft from the Channel Islands, France and the UK.

Asked if that operation was now more about recovery than rescue, Channel Islands Air Search chief officer John Fitzgerald said: “I think it is very much that sort of recovery stage now.

“I think it’s more trying to work out what went on with the aircraft, trying to find parts of the aircraft, whatever is floating around on the surface.”

Guernsey Police said there were three planes and one helicopter involved in the search, but nothing had been seen which could be attributed to the missing plane.

Guernsey Police confirmed that they are conducting that search based on four possibilities.

The update read: “We are searching based on four possibilities:

1. They have landed elsewhere but not made contact.

2. They landed on water, have been picked up by a passing ship but not made contact.

3. They landed on water and made it into the life raft we know was on board.

4. The aircraft broke up on contact with the water, leaving them in the sea.

”Our search area is prioritised on the life-raft option. More updates as information becomes available.”

The chances of finding Sala alive are “slim” if the plane landed on water, Guernsey Police had said in a statement earlier during Tuesday afternoon.

The French Civil Aviation Authority said Sala was aboard a light aircraft which disappeared from radar en route from Nantes to Cardiff on Monday evening.

According to Guernsey Police, the Piper PA-46 Malibu, a single turbine engine aircraft carrying two people, departed Nantes at 7.15pm for the Welsh capital and was flying at an altitude of 5,000ft (1,524m).

On passing Guernsey it “requested descent”, but Jersey air traffic control (ATC) lost contact with the plane while it was flying at 2,300ft (701m).

After a 15-hour search from rescue teams, which covered an area totalling 1,155 square miles (340 sq m), Guernsey Police revealed that “a number of floating objects” were seen in the water, but they were “unable to confirm whether any of these are from the missing aircraft”.

A statement posted on the official Twitter account of Guernsey Police said: “We have found no signs of those on board. If they did land on the water, the chances of survival are at this stage, unfortunately, slim.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Cardiff’s executive director Ken Choo expressed his shock and distress at the news.

Sala, 28, was on his way back to Wales after saying goodbye to his Nantes team-mates on Monday night.

Choo described Sala as a “great person” and revealed he had been “so happy” to sign for Cardiff.

“You could see from his face he is so, so happy to be here and ready to start,” Choo said in an in-house TV interview:

“Words cannot describe the look on his face when he met us, we walked him around the ground, he was absolutely ready to give it a go.

“We really feel sad to hear of this news because we met such a great person.”

Sala had signed a three-and-a-half year deal with the Welsh club after scoring 12 Ligue 1 goals in 19 appearances this season.

Choo revealed Sala had described joining the Bluebirds as “one of the best days of his life”.

Cardiff have been in contact with Sala’s family as they wait for news.

Nantes president Waldemar Kita added on the French club’s website: “I’ll always have hope, he’s a fighter. It’s not over, maybe he’s somewhere.”

Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri, who coached Sala at Nantes, added in a statement on Twitter: “I was devastated to hear the news. Emiliano is a wonderful character.

“He’s a fighter. The world of football will be united in wishing for some positive news. I pray for Emiliano and his family.”

French sports newspaper L’Equipe carried the search for Sala on its front page on Wednesday with the headline: “The disappearance of a warrior”.

Nantes’ Coupe de France clash with third-tier Entente Sannois, scheduled for Wednesday evening, has been postponed until Sunday while their Ligue 1 fixture against St Etienne — originally due to take place on Saturday — has been moved to Wednesday, January 30th.

Sala, a native of Santa Fe in Argentina, played at youth level for Club Proyecto Crecer in his home country before being snapped up by French club Bordeaux in 2010.

He was then sent out on a series of loans to Orleans, Niort and Caen and, after failing to make more than a handful of appearances for Bordeaux, joined Nantes in 2015.

It was in Brittany where his career began to flourish.

Sala’s hat-trick against Toulouse in October 2018 was the first by any Nantes player in Ligue 1 since 2006.

Cardiff signed the forward in a deal reportedly worth in the region of £15million (€17 million), breaking the previous record of £11million (€12.53 million) paid for Gary Medel in 2013.– PA/Reuters</s>Search and rescue operations have been resumed by Guernsey Police for the plane carrying Cardiff City striker Emiliano Sala on Wednesday morning.

The Argentine striker was on board an aircraft which disappeared from radar near the Channel Islands on Monday evening.

Guernsey Police confirmed a “number of floating objects” were found in the water before Tuesday’s search was suspended, although rescuers were unable to ascertain if they were from the missing aircraft.

John Fitzgerald, chief officer of the Channel Island Air Search, said a cushion and bent piece of metal were among the objects recovered.

“The [search] aircraft found various bits of debris and it guided the lifeboat and a nearby fishing boat into the area to have a look at it,” Fitzgerald told Sky Sports News.

“The notes from the search director say they found a cushion, a bright orange item beside a dull coloured box and lots of white items in the water floating alongside a piece of white metal, which was a bit bent – apparently, just looking at the notes I have just received.”

Fitzgerald says the Channel Island Air Search believe the aircraft broke up after crashing in the Channel.

“At this stage I think it’s very unlikely to have an aircraft that’s in one piece,” he said.

“When a plane goes on the water you only have a few minutes before it does sink. They’re not designed to sit on the sea and once you open the doors you usually have two or three minutes before it goes underwater, especially with a lighter aircraft.”

It is understood Cardiff City will resume training on Wednesday but Nantes have cancelled their session.

Nantes fans are said to be discussing whether to organise a silent march later this week.</s>Meanwhile aviation regulators have said it was "unlikely" the plane on which Sala was travelling had been fitted with a black box flight recorder. The news that teams searching for Sala were treating the hunt as a recovery, as opposed to a rescue mission, came hours after John Fitzgerald, chief officer of Channel Islands Air Search, said he did not believe there is "any hope" of finding Sala alive given the "pretty horrendous" conditions in the water. Concern has been growing for Sala ever since it was confirmed he was on board a missing plane, Piper Malibu, on Monday.

Sky News tweeted: "Channel Islands Air Search says the operation to find a missing plane carrying Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala has become a recovery operation." Guernsey Police tweeted: "280sq. miles of our targeted search pattern using multiple aircraft from the Channel Islands, France and U.K. has been completed over the last five hours. "There is as yet no trace today of the missing aircraft. The search is ongoing and a decision whether to continue will be taken later today.

"Further information will be released as we have it." Police have confirmed "floating objects" have been found in the Channel, although they have not yet confirmed whether they are part of the missing aeroplane. St Catherine’s lifeboat station in Jersey dispatched to look into reports of debris spotted in the water off the coast of Bonne Nuit beach. Police yesterday played down hopes Sala will be found, saying in a statement issued yesterday the chances of passenger survival were "slim".

A French military jet has joined in the search, BBC Guernsey journalist Rory O’Reilly tweeted. The Argentinian player was one of two people on board the plane, which took off from Nantes at 7.15pm on Saturday. In a WhatsApp message sent to his family, he admitted he was “so scared”, adding: "I'm on a plane that looks like it's going to fall apart.” The striker, who had only signed for Cardiff on January 19 for a fee reported to be in the region of £15million, also posted a picture of him posing with former teammates on Instagram, complete with the poignant message: "The last goodbye".

The missing plane carrying Argentinian footballer Emiliano is unlikely to have been fitted with a flight recorder, according to the UK's aviation regulator. So-called black boxes which record flight data and cockpit audio are mandatory in airliners and business jets, and are a vital tool for crash investigators. But they are not mandatory for light aircraft such as the US-registered Piper Malibu plane which went missing over the Channel on Monday night. A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority said the plane is "unlikely" to have been fitted with a black box. The weight of the recorders is one of the reasons why they are not normally used by light aircraft manufacturers.</s>The search to find Emiliano Sala and the pilot that went missing during a flight between Nantes and Cardiff has resumed on Wednesday morning.

Sala - who became Cardiff City's club record signing on Saturday - was on board the missing plane which left Nantes and was due to land at Cardiff Airport on Monday evening.

But the light aircraft disappeared from radar while near the Channel Islands at around 8pm on Monday.

Emergency services launched a search which lasted more than 15 hours before being called off at 5pm on Tuesday.

And police have confirmed that the search has resumed on Wednesday morning.

They revealed that two planes will search a "targeted area" believed to have the "highest likelihood of finding anything".

A statement from Guernsey Police read: "23rd January, 7.30am update. We have resumed searching.

"Two planes are taking off & will search a targeted area we believe has the highest likelihood of finding anything, based on review of the tides and weather since it went missing.

"Coastal areas around Alderney and off-lying rocks and islands will also be searched from the air. 

 

 "Updates will be provided once information is available."
In the Channel Islands, a multinational search and rescue operation for a missing aircraft carrying Cardiff City F.C. footballer Emiliano Sala resumes, after fading light and deteriorating weather conditions caused the search to be called off the previous day.