The Argentine striker was heading to his new Premier League team Cardiff City before the light aircraft he was in disappeared

PORTLAND, UK – A body recovered by British investigators from the submerged wreckage of a plane that went down in the Channel has been identified as that of footballer Emiliano Sala, police said on Thursday, February 7.

The Argentine striker's body was first spotted by rescuers with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) on Sunday close to where the plane went missing near the island of Guernsey.

It was recovered on Wednesday and brought to the Isle of Portland in southern England on board the Geo Ocean III offshore supply ship on Thursday for formal identification by coroners, who investigate deaths in Britain.

The light aircraft was carrying the 28-year-old footballer to his new Premier League team Cardiff City when it disappeared near Guernsey on January 21, along with 59-year-old pilot David Ibbotson.

"The body brought to Portland Port today has been formally identified... as that of professional footballer Emiliano Sala," police in Dorset, the county where the body was taken, said on Twitter.

"The families of Mr. Sala and pilot David Ibbotson have been updated. Our thoughts remain with them all," police said.

After his body was identified, retired Argentinian football star Gabriel Batistuta paid tribute to the talented young player whose disappearance had prompted an outpouring of grief.

"What sadness, this is the worst news. Rest in peace warrior," he tweeted.

Argentinian President Mauricio Macri also offered his condolences to Sala's family following the "painful news." "We are with you," he added.

While the small Argentinian town of Progreso, where the footballer lived for most of his childhood, was left "very affected."

"Since we found out, it's all anyone can talk about," said local restaurant owner Oscar Heymo, a friend of Sala's father Horacio. "He was very much loved and admired by all."

Sala's disappearance prompted an outpouring of grief across the footballing world, including at his former club Nantes in France where the plane was flying from.

The initial search operations to trace the plane were suspended in the days after it went missing, but a shipwreck hunter hired by Sala's family with funds donated by football stars such as Lionel Messi found the wreckage.

Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), then coordinated the recovery and the rescued body was taken to Portland Harbour earlier on Thursday and was seen being stretchered into a silver van.

"In challenging conditions, the AAIB and its specialist contractors successfully recovered the body previously seen amidst the wreckage," the AAIB said Wednesday.

"The operation was carried out in as dignified a way as possible."

The AAIB was unable to recover the plane due to bad weather and as a result was closing down the operation.

"The weather forecast is poor for the foreseeable future and so the difficult decision was taken to bring the overall operation to a close," it said.

It said that extensive video footage captured by a remotely operated vehicle is expected to "provide valuable evidence for our safety investigation," adding that it intends to publish an interim report on the accident later this month.

The plane, a Piper PA-46 Malibu, vanished from radar around 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Guernsey, with Ibbotson the only other person aboard.

After the official rescue team gave up their search, saying there was little chance of finding anyone alive, Sala's family raised more than 370,000 euros ($422,000) in an online campaign to pay for a private hunt.

"Had that not happened, I don't think anybody would have searched for the plane," shipwreck hunter David Mearns, whose private company found the plane, told AFP.

The discovery of two seat cushions on the French coast last week revealed that the plane had broken apart, he added.

Sala had been flying in to join up with his new club Cardiff City in what was the most expensive signing in the Welsh club's history.

Nantes have consulted lawyers to explore legal options to ensure Cardiff pays the transfer fee for Sala, a source close to the French club revealed on Wednesday.

According to the source, the first instalment of the 17-million-euro ($19.3 million) deal for the Argentine striker has yet to be paid, despite the transfer being finalized before the accident.

Earlier this week the footballer's father, Horacio, acknowledged that there was no prospect of finding his son alive.

"There's no longer any hope," he told Fox Sports. – Rappler.com</s>The Dorset Police Department have released an official statement that the body recovered from the plane belongs to that of missing footballer Emiliano Sala.

On the back of the confirmation that the body found was indeed Emiliano Sala’s, Cardiff City released a statement on their website and offered their heartfelt sympathies to the families of Sala and the pilot, David Ibbotson – whose body is yet to be sighted or recovered.

The search for the plane carrying the two of them, that went missing off the coast of Surtainville, north of Guernsey, had initially yielded no results but a publicly funded search that had raised over £300,000 had meant that the AAIB could resume the search in conjunction with private search teams.

After a couple of cushions believed to be belonging to the aircraft had washed ashore, investigators narrowed the search area down to 4 square miles and employed the use of sonar technology to finally locate the wreck on the seabed.

It was then that a body was discovered in the wreckage that has since been identified to be that of missing footballer Emiliano Sala.</s>Image copyright Getty Images/David Ibbotson Image caption Emiliano Sala (left) was on board a plane being flown by pilot David Ibbotson

The family of the pilot of the plane carrying footballer Emiliano Sala which crashed into the sea have launched a fundraising appeal to find his body.

David Ibbotson of North Lincolnshire was flying the Cardiff City player from Nantes to the UK when their plane crashed near Guernsey on 21 January.

The footballer's body was recovered from the plane wreck on the seabed, but Mr Ibbotson's body has not been found.

Thousands of pounds have been raised on a Gofundme page in a few hours.

'Need him home'

On the page, the family of Mr Ibbotson, from Crowle, said: "As a family we are trying to come to terms with the tragedy and the loss of two incredible men.

"To be told the search has now been called off for the foreseeable future has only made this tragic time more difficult.

"We can not bear the thought of him being alone, we need him home so that we are able to lay him to rest."

The appeal has a target of £300,000.

Image copyright AAIB Image caption The AAIB released this photograph of the wreckage of the Piper Malibu found in 63m (205ft) of water north west of Guernsey

The Piper Malibu N264DB was en route from France to Cardiff, two days after the Argentine striker's £15m transfer to Cardiff was announced.

An official search was called off on 24 January after Guernsey's harbour master said the chances of survival were "extremely remote".

But an online appeal started by Sala's agent raised £324,000 (371,000 euros) for a private search led by marine scientist and oceanographer David Mearns.

Working jointly with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, Mr Mearns' ship and the Geo Ocean III, began combing a four square mile area of the English Channel, 24 nautical miles north of Guernsey.

The plane's wreckage was discovered on Sunday and Sala's body was recovered on Wednesday.</s>The body which was retrieved from the wreckage of a crashed plane in the English Channel has now been identified as that of Emiliano Sala, Cardiff City's Argentina-born player. This was confirmed by the police on Thursday.

"The body brought to Portland Port today... has been formally identified by HM Coroner for Dorset as that of professional footballer Emiliano Sala," a police statement said.

"The families of Mr Sala and the pilot David Ibbotson have been updated with this news and will continue to be supported by specially-trained family liaison officers. Our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time," it added.

Sala, who was snapped up by Cardiff City in a record-signing, was flying to join his new club from Nantes when the flight disappeared and crashed in the English channel.

After the official police word, Cardiff City too posted a message on the website.

"We offer our most heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the family of Emiliano. He and David will forever remain in our thoughts," the Welsh club said.

The police have however maintained that the reason behind the plane crash is still being investigated, but the process is impeded owing to poor weather conditions.

Argentine newspaper Clarin had carried the last voice message from Sala which was sent to his friends from somewhere mid-air.

"We're up in the plane and it seems it's about to crash," said the message, which Clarin said. It was subsequently verified by Sala's father, Horacio Sala.

"If you have not heard anything from me in an hour and a half, I don't know if they're going to send someone to find me, because, you know, they're not going to be able to," the message said. "Dad. I'm really scared."</s>The family of Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala said Friday they could now begin mourning after his body was formally identified following its recovery from a crashed plane in the Channel.

"We can now begin to mourn our son and our brother," the Argentinian player's family said in a statement, also thanking everyone involved in the effort to locate the submerged wreckage off Guernsey.

"We would like to thank you for all of your signs of affection and support in the most painful time of our life," the family said.

"To see everyone doing everything possible to join us in the search has been a precious help to us."

The family said their thoughts were also with the family of the 59-year-old pilot of the plane, David Ibbotson, whose body has not yet been found, saying "we hope the authorities do everything possible to find him".

Sala had returned to France to say goodbye to his teammates at Ligue 1 club Nantes and was flying to Wales on January 21 to join up with his new club following his 17-million-euro ($19.3 million) transfer.

The plane, a Piper PA-46 Malibu, vanished from radar around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Guernsey.

A body has been recovered from the wreckage of the plane that was carrying Argentina-born professional soccer player Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) in Britain said late on Wednesday.

The agency did not disclose the identity of the body.

Sala, 28, had been en route from Nantes in western France on Jan. 21 to make his debut for Premier League team Cardiff City when the plane disappeared over the English Channel.

The Geo Ocean III, transporting a body recovered from the wreckage of a plane carrying Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala is docked in Weymouth harbour, south west England . (AFP)

The wreckage was found on Sunday following a privately-funded underwater search. Two seat cushions were discovered on the French coast that likely belonged to the aircraft.

A body was visible inside when the wreckage was on the seabed near Guernsey, air accident investigators had said on Monday.

The body was "successfully recovered" but attempts to recover the aircraft wreckage were unsuccessful, the AAIB said in a statement on Wednesday. The overall operation was brought to an end due to "poor weather conditions," the agency said.

Sala had agreed to join Welsh club Cardiff for a club-record fee of 15 million pounds ($19.63 million) from French Ligue 1 club Nantes.

He and the pilot are believed to have died as the single-engined Piper Malibu aircraft crashed into the sea.

On Saturday at Cardiff's home Premier League match against Bournemouth, the Cardiff players held up a T-shirt bearing the image of Sala, who never played a game for the club, after the team scored in the fifth minute.

Fans were handed daffodils as they entered the Cardiff City Stadium.

In the 28th minute, a round of applause swelled around the stadium as fans sang Sala's name.

On Jan. 30, Nantes payed tribute to their former player.

Referee Frank Schneider stopped play in the Ligue 1 match against St Etienne for a minute of applause during which Nantes coach Vahid Halilhodzic was in tears.</s>The official search for missing North Lincolnshire pilot David Ibbotson has now come to an end, with fears his body may never be found.

But the family of Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala, whose body was discovered in the wreckage of a plane which disappeared over the English Channel, have urged authorities to continue trying to find Mr Ibbotson.

The private pilot, from Crowle, was at the controls of a Piper Pa-46 Mailbu which was carrying Argentinian striker Sala from the French city of Nantes when the crash happened on Monday, January 21.

The wreckage of the aircraft was discovered 21 miles off the coast of Guernsey after a private search operation started on Sunday, February 3 and a body found within it has now been identified as 28-year-old Sala.

It is believed Mr Ibbotson was either thrown clear of the aircraft when it struck the sea or when it sank in deep water.

Investigators recovered Sala's body on Wednesday but have ended their attempts to recover the aircraft wreckage, which remains 67 metres underwater, because of poor weather.

Mr Ibbotson remains officially missing, although he is believed to have also died in the accident and dozens of tributes to him have been left at a memorial in Crowle.

A Sala family statement included a call for efforts to continue to find Mr Ibbotson's body.

The statement read: "It is with infinite sadness that we confirm the identity of Emiliano's body.

"We would like to thank you for all your signs of affection and support in what is the most painful time of our lives.

"Seeing the whole world mobilised to support us in our research has been an infinitely precious help. Thanks to you, we are now able to mourn our son, our brother.

"On this Friday morning, our thoughts go to David Ibbotson and his family, hoping that the authorities will do their best to find him."

The body of Argentinian striker Sala was brought to Portland, Dorset, by the Geo Ocean III boat, and taken on a stretcher to an ambulance, before being transferred to the coroner.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) confirmed in a statement that it had taken the decision to bring the overall operation to a close.

It said: "In challenging conditions, the AAIB and its specialist contractors successfully recovered the body previously seen amidst the wreckage. The operation was carried out in as dignified a way as possible and the families were kept informed of progress.

"Unfortunately, attempts to recover the aircraft wreckage were unsuccessful before poor weather conditions forced us to return the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to the ship.

"The weather forecast is poor for the foreseeable future and so the difficult decision was taken to bring the overall operation to a close.

"Although it was not possible to recover the aircraft, the extensive video record captured by the ROV is expected to provide valuable evidence for our safety investigation."

Dorset Police confirmed last night that the body found within the aircraft wreckage had been positively identified as Sala, who had completed a £15 million move from Nantes to Cardiff three days before the crash and had returned to France to say his farewells to former team-mates.

A statement from the force said: "The body brought to Portland Port has been formally identified by HM Coroner for Dorset as that of professional footballer Emiliano Sala. 



"The families of Mr Sala and the pilot David Ibbotson have been updated with this news and will continue to be supported by specially-trained family liaison officers. Our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time. 



"HM Coroner will continue to investigate the circumstances of this death supported by Dorset Police. 



"On Monday, January 21 a plane carrying both men was flying from Nantes to Cardiff when it lost contact with Air Traffic Control, north of Guernsey. 

 

"Sadly a search and rescue operation was unsuccessful in locating the plane and the two occupants. Subsequently AAIB and privately funded search teams were deployed to the relevant area.

"Using specialist equipment the teams succeeded in locating and identifying the plane and recovering Mr Sala's body."

Following the tragic news, the footballer's sister Romina posted a moving tribute to her brother on social media.

Writing on Instagram, she said: "Your soul in my soul will shine forever, thus illuminating the time of my existence. I love you."

Family, friends, residents and businesses in Crowle have left tributes to Mr Ibbotson, an experienced private pilot who worked as a gas engineer, have been left around a tree in the town's Market Place.

Floral tributes, candles and a Cardiff City scarf are among the items which have been left, with a message from Mr Ibbotson's daughter Vicki describing him as "the best dad anybody could wish for".

She wrote: "Daddio, words cannot describe how much I am going to miss you. You are the best dad anybody could wish for and I will love you always."

Mr Ibbotson's sister Helen Kapatysulias wrote: "I have so many memories of you, mine is of you when you were coming home from school, you used to pick me up and carry me home. I will lock these memories in my heart forever."

Another message read: "All I would like is to see your face, smiling, cheekily, again. I know you're safe wherever you are. I pray that one day I will see you again, my gentle Big Brother.

"I love you forever and always and will never forget you."

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Follow us on Twitter - For breaking news and the latest stories, click here to</s>THE family of the pilot presumed dead after a plane crash with footballer Emiliano Sala are “distraught with grief” as his body remains unaccounted for.

Investigators last night identified the body that was pulled from the plane wreckage at the bottom of the English Channel as that of the 28-year-old Argentine footballer.



Tributes from across the world have poured in for the Cardiff City striker and his pilot, David Ibbotson, whose plane crashed en route to Cardiff from Nantes, France, at around 7pm on January 21. 



Ibbotson’s family, meanwhile, face the agony of not knowing the whereabouts of his body after investigators called off the search and recovery operation on Wednesday. 



His wife Nora was last night said to be waiting in suspense for an update on the identity of the recovered body at her home in Crowle, near Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. 



A local businesswoman who lives in the small village said Nora was “distraught with grief” last night as she was “waiting is agony” for the coroner’s verdict.

An anguished family member told the Mail Online: “What's happened is awful and all we want is for David's body to be found so we can lay him to rest properly, as he deserves, and pay our respects. 



“Not knowing where he is and if his body has been found or maybe never will be is the worst thing ever.”



“She is distraught with grief not knowing, the waiting is agony for her and her family and our hearts go out to them.”



Father-of-three Ibbotson, 59, was flying the The Piper Malibu 63 when the light aircraft lost contact with air traffic control over the Channel, north of Guernsey.

“All we want is for David's body to be found” The aircraft remains 67 metres underwater 21 miles off the coast of Guernsey in the English Channel as poor weather conditions stopped efforts to recover it.



A makeshift memorial to the gas fitter has appeared in his home village, where floral tributes has been left in the market square.



In one tribute, daughter Vicki said: “Daddio, Words cannot describe how much I am going to miss you. You are the best dad anybody could wish for and I will love you always.”



The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) said poor weather conditions informed its decision to bring the operation to a close for the time-being. 



The AAIB has not given any indication when, or even if, the operation to find Ibbotson's body and recover the wreckage from the Channel will resume.

“Unfortunately, attempts to recover the aircraft wreckage were unsuccessful before poor weather conditions forced us to return the ROV to the ship,” the AAIB said in a statement. 



“The weather forecast is poor for the foreseeable future and so the difficult decision was taken to bring the overall operation to a close. The body is currently being taken to Portland to be passed into the care of the Dorset Coroner.



“Although it was not possible to recover the aircraft, the extensive video record captured by the ROV is expected to provide valuable evidence for our safety investigation.” 



An initial search and rescue operation failed to locate the plane but it was later discovered by the AAIB and privately funded search teams.



A private ship hired by his family – partly funded by donations – found the plane wreckage just hours into launching the search on Sunday morning. 



The body pulled from the wreckage was taken to Portland to be passed over to the Dorset coroner for examination on Thursday. 



Dorset Police said in a statement: "The body brought to Portland Port today, Thursday February 7 2019, has been formally identified by HM Coroner for Dorset as that of professional footballer Emiliano Sala.



"The families of Mr Sala and the pilot David Ibbotson have been updated with this news and will continue to be supported by specially-trained family liaison officers.



"Our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time."HM Coroner will continue to investigate the circumstances of this death supported by Dorset Police."</s>A body has been recovered from the wreckage of the plane carrying Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson.

Here is a timeline of events since the plane went off the radar:

The single-turbine engine Piper PA-46 Malibu leaves Nantes at 7.15pm for Cardiff and is flying at an altitude of 5,000ft.

An air and sea search is launched at 8.50pm after the plane disappears from radar in the English Channel.

The French civil aviation authority confirms Argentinian footballer Emiliano Sala, 28, who had just signed for Cardiff City, was on board the light aircraft. Piloting the plane was David Ibbotson, from Crowle, near Scunthorpe.

Guernsey’s harbour master Captain David Barker says the chances Sala and Mr Ibbotson have survived is “extremely remote”.

After more than 24 hours of continuous searching, with 80 hours combined flying time across three planes and five helicopters, as well as the help of two lifeboats, passing ships and fishing boats, the search is officially called off.

But the footballer’s sister, Romina Sala, begs rescue workers to keep looking for the plane, telling reporters in Cardiff that she feels her brother and his pilot are still alive. Hundreds of tributes to Emiliano Sala have been left outside Cardiff City Stadium (PA)

Further pleas for the search to resume come from Argentinian football stars Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Sergio Aguero, and the country’s president Mauricio Macri.

Donations to fund a private search quickly run into the tens of thousands of pounds.

It emerges that football agent Willie McKay arranged for the flight to take Sala to Cardiff but he says he had no involvement in selecting the plane or pilot. He also backs calls for the search to continue.

Relatives and friends of Sala arrive in Guernsey, having enlisted the help of shipwreck hunting expert David Mearns.

The US-born marine scientist, author and explorer, who is based in the UK, says the family still have “some hope”.

Sala’s family, including his mother Mercedes and sister Romina, take a chartered flight in a plane operated by Guernsey airline Aurigny over the area where the plane disappeared.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) says two seat cushions found washed up earlier in the week near Surtainville on the Cotentin Peninsula are likely to have come from the plane carrying Sala and his pilot. Seat cushions from a plane were found on a beach at Surtainville, France (Josette Bernard/AP)

Wreckage of the plane is located in a fresh, privately funded search which was made possible after a fundraising campaign saw more than £260,000 donated.

A body is visible in seabed video footage of the wreckage of the plane. The AAIB says the footage was filmed using an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) which was surveying the area after the plane was located.

February 6: The wreckage of the plane was discovered in the English Channel, with one body visible inside (AAIB/PA)

A body seen in the wreckage of the plane is recovered. The AAIB says the body will be taken to Portland to be passed over to the Dorset coroner for examination.

The aircraft remains 67 metres underwater 21 miles off the coast of Guernsey in the English Channel as poor weather conditions stopped efforts to recover it.

An AAIB spokesman says attempts to recover the aircraft wreckage were unsuccessful and, due to continued poor weather forecast, “the difficult decision was taken to bring the overall operation to a close”.

Dorset Police confirms that the body recovered from the plane is that of Sala.

The force says the Dorset coroner has formally identified the body and that the families of both the footballer and the pilot Mr Ibbotson have been informed.</s>A body recovered by British investigators from the submerged wreckage of a plane that went down in the Channel has been identified as that of footballer Emiliano Sala , police said on Thursday. The Argentine striker's body was first spotted by rescuers with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) on Sunday close to where the plane went missing near the island of Guernsey. It was recovered on Wednesday and brought to the Isle of Portland in southern England on board the Geo Ocean III offshore supply ship on Thursday for formal identification by coroners, who investigate deaths in Britain.

The light aircraft was carrying the 28-year-old footballer to his new Premier League team Cardiff City when it disappeared near Guernsey on January 21, along with 59-year-old pilot David Ibbotson.

"The body brought to Portland Port today has been formally identified... as that of professional footballer Emiliano Sala," police in Dorset, the county where the body was taken, said on Twitter.

"The families of Mr Sala and pilot David Ibbotson have been updated. Our thoughts remain with them all," police said.

After his body was identified, retired Argentinian football star Gabriel Batistuta paid tribute to the talented young player whose disappearance had prompted an outpouring of grief.

"What sadness, this is the worst news. Rest in peace warrior," he tweeted.

Argentinian President Mauricio Macri also offered his condolences to Sala's family following the "painful news". "We are with you," he added.

While the small Argentinian town of Progreso, where the footballer lived for most of his childhood, was left "very affected".

"Since we found out, it's all anyone can talk about," said local restaurant owner Oscar Heymo, a friend of Sala's father Horacio. "He was very much loved and admired by all."

Sala's disappearance prompted an outpouring of grief across the footballing world, including at his former club Nantes in France where the plane was flying from.

The initial search operations to trace the plane were suspended in the days after it went missing, but a shipwreck hunter hired by Sala's family with funds donated by football stars such as Lionel Messi found the wreckage.

Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), then co-ordinated the recovery and the rescued body was taken to Portland Harbour earlier on Thursday and was seen being stretchered into a silver van.

"In challenging conditions, the AAIB and its specialist contractors successfully recovered the body previously seen amidst the wreckage," the AAIB said Wednesday.

"The operation was carried out in as dignified a way as possible."

The AAIB was unable to recover the plane due to bad weather and as a result was closing down the operation.

"The weather forecast is poor for the foreseeable future and so the difficult decision was taken to bring the overall operation to a close," it said.

It said that extensive video footage captured by a remotely operated vehicle is expected to "provide valuable evidence for our safety investigation", adding that it intends to publish an interim report on the accident later this month.

The plane, a Piper PA-46 Malibu, vanished from radar around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Guernsey, with Ibbotson the only other person aboard.

After the official rescue team gave up their search, saying there was little chance of finding anyone alive, Sala's family raised more than 370,000 euros ($422,000) in an online campaign to pay for a private hunt.

"Had that not happened, I don't think anybody would have searched for the plane," shipwreck hunter David Mearns, whose private company found the plane, told AFP.

The discovery of two seat cushions on the French coast last week revealed that the plane had broken apart, he added.

Sala had been flying in to join up with his new club Cardiff City in what was the most expensive signing in the Welsh club's history.

Nantes have consulted lawyers to explore legal options to ensure Cardiff pays the transfer fee for Sala, a source close to the French club revealed on Wednesday.

According to the source, the first installment of the 17-million-euro ($19.3 million) deal for the Argentine striker has yet to be paid, despite the transfer being finalised before the accident.

Earlier this week the footballer's father, Horacio, acknowledged that there was no prospect of finding his son alive.

"There's no longer any hope," he told Fox Sports.</s>A body recovered from the submerged wreckage of a plane that went down in the English Channel more than two weeks ago has been identified as that of footballer Emiliano Sala, British police said on Thursday.

The light aircraft was carrying the 28-year-old footballer from France to his new Premier League team Cardiff City, when it disappeared near the British island of Guernsey, along with 59-year-old pilot David Ibbotson.

Argentinian footballing idols Diego Maradona and Gabriel Batistuta were among the first to pay tribute to the talented young player, who hailed from the South American country.

The striker's body was spotted by British rescuers using a remotely operated underwater vehicle on Sunday close to where the plane vanished from radar on January 21.

His body was recovered on Wednesday and brought to the Isle of Portland in southern England for formal identification on Thursday by coroners, who investigate deaths in Britain.

"The body brought to Portland Port today has been formally identified... as that of professional footballer Emiliano Sala," police in Dorset, the county where the body was taken, said on Twitter.

"The families of Mr Sala and pilot David Ibbotson have been updated. Our thoughts remain with them all," police said.

Sala's disappearance sparked an outpouring of grief and a flood of cash to support a private hunt for the plane when the official search was initially called off.

"I am very sorry about this sad news. Many of us kept a glimmer of hope for you, Emiliano," footballing superstar Maradona said on Instagram, after the identification of the body.

"What sadness, this is the worst news. Rest in peace warrior," tweeted retired Argentinian football star Gabriel Batistuta.

The country's President Mauricio Macri also offered his condolences to Sala's family following the "painful news". "We are with you," he added.

The small Argentinian town of Progreso, where the footballer lived for most of his childhood, was left "very affected".

"Since we found out, it's all anyone can talk about," said local restaurant owner Oscar Heymo, a friend of Sala's father Horacio. "He was very much loved and admired by all."

The initial search operations to trace the plane were suspended in the days after it went missing, but a shipwreck hunter hired by Sala's family with funds donated by football stars such as Lionel Messi found the wreckage.

Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), then co-ordinated the recovery and the rescued body was taken to Portland Harbour earlier on Thursday and was seen being stretchered into a silver van.

"In challenging conditions, the AAIB and its specialist contractors successfully recovered the body previously seen amidst the wreckage," the AAIB said Wednesday.

"The operation was carried out in as dignified a way as possible."

The crash investigators added that it was unable to recover the plane due to bad weather and as a result has closed down the operation.

The AAIB said that extensive video footage captured of the sunken wreckage is expected to "provide valuable evidence for our safety investigation", adding that it intends to publish an interim report on the accident later this month.

The plane, a Piper PA-46 Malibu, vanished from radar around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Guernsey, with Ibbotson the only other person aboard.

After the official rescue team gave up their search, saying there was little chance of finding anyone alive, Sala's family raised more than 370,000 euros ($422,000) in an online campaign to pay for a private hunt.

"Had that not happened, I don't think anybody would have searched for the plane," shipwreck hunter David Mearns, whose private company found the plane, told AFP.

The discovery of two seat cushions on the French coast last week revealed that the plane had broken apart, he added.

Sala had been flying in to join up with his new club Cardiff City in what was the most expensive signing in the Welsh club's history.

His former club Nantes have consulted lawyers to explore legal options to ensure Cardiff pay the transfer fee for Sala, a source close to the French club revealed on Wednesday.

According to the source, the first instalment of the 17-million-euro ($19.3 million) deal for the Argentine striker has yet to be paid, despite the transfer being finalised before the accident.

Earlier this week the footballer's father, Horacio, acknowledged that there was no prospect of finding his son alive.

"There's no longer any hope," he told Fox Sports.
The family of pilot David Ibbotson launch a GoFundMe campaign to locate and recover his body, raising thousands of pounds within hours. Footballer Emiliano Sala's body was recently found in the wreckage and recovered two weeks after the plane first went missing.