The research team of Emiliano Sala discovers the cushions of the missing planes on the beach in France

The Air Accident Investigation Unit revealed the discovery of two seat cushions, probably from the plane carrying the missing star, the star of the city of Cardiff, Emiliano Sala.

The Argentine footballer disappeared just two days after joining the Bluebirds in a transfer of 15 million pounds sterling from the French club Nantes.

Sala and his pilot Dave Ibbotson have not been seen since January 21, when their plane – a single propeller plane Piper PA-46 Malibu – was reported missing by the English Channel.

A statement from the AAIB said: "On the morning of Monday, January 28, the Office of Investigations & Analysis, the French authority in charge of security investigations, informed us that 39, part of a seat cushion had been found on a beach near Surtainville, on the peninsula of Cotentin.

"A second cushion was found in the same area later in the day.

"From a preliminary examination, we concluded that it is likely that the cushions come from the missing plane."

Sala was returning from Nantes in South Wales, after bidding farewell to his teammates and the staff of the French club.

However, en route to Cardiff, the flight disappeared from the radar after asking to get off.

After three days of research on the aircraft, no trace of the aircraft or those aboard was found. The coastguard canceled the call last Thursday.

But independent research began on Saturday, after £ 250,000 was collected on a GoFundMe page, with footballers such as Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan and Adrien Rabiot (PSG) known for their contributions.

This was done following calls made on social networks by personalities such as Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Argentine President Mauricio Macri.

Now, after the discovery, on a beach located 60 km from Guernsey, an official underwater search of an area of ​​about four square nautical miles is now scheduled to take place this week.

The investigators of the AAIB said that their underwater research would last three days.

David Mearns, a marine scientist who worked with the Sala family, added on social media Wednesday afternoon: "The research funded by private funds from the plane carrying Emiliano will be conducted on behalf of the family Sala, in close coordination with the AAIB research effort.

"The two vessels will work together to search the designated area as safely, completely and efficiently as possible."

Cardiff fans paid tribute to Sala in the 2-1 defeat of Arsenal on Tuesday, after which defender Sol Bamba admitted that some players were now afraid to steal.

"We are very excited after what happened, but as professionals, we have a job to do and we wanted to win.

"It's very difficult even to describe emotions. It's a great tragedy, and we've all been affected: the guys, the club, the whole city.

"I think we needed something like this game to get back to normal, but the week was very, very difficult.

"We go (to games) by plane, and some of the guys thought they did not want to do it anymore."

Cardiff Chief Neil Warnock admitted that he had trouble getting up in the morning after the incident and that he wanted to leave football.

The football agent Willie McKay arranged for the flight to take Sala from Nantes to Cardiff, but he did not participate in the selection of the plane nor the pilot.

McKay's son, Mark, was the acting agent for Nantes during the transfer, which allowed Sala Cardiff to sign a club record.

The former girlfriend of Sala, Berenice Schkair, said Tuesday that she was still hanging on to hope that he stays alive.

She told the Argentine media: "I hope that it will happen, it is that it is alive." Where? On an island.

"I think, like his family, that he can not be gone."

Mearns, spoke earlier this week about his mother, Mercedes, also refusing to lose hope of seeing her son again.

Sending to reporters in Guernsey, he said: "The family still has hope.It considers this as a missing person, a missing plane." be satisfied, that is the mode in which we find ourselves. "

"It's a family from Argentina with this huge shock coming from nowhere and struggling with what happened, with very, very few answers about an unexplained loss."

AAIB declaration in full

Since we opened our security investigation on Tuesday, January 23, we have gathered evidence, such as flight records, aircraft and personnel, and badyzed radar data and tape recordings of the aircraft. air traffic. We worked closely with other international authorities and kept the families of those involved informed of our progress.

On the morning of Monday, January 28, the Bureau of Investigation and Analysis (BEA) informed us that part of the seat cushion had been found on a beach near Surtainville, on the Cotentin Peninsula.

A second cushion was found in the same area later in the day. After a preliminary examination, we concluded that it is likely that the cushions come from the missing plane.

From the moment we were informed of the disappearance of the aircraft, we examined the possibility of conducting an underwater search of the seabed to find the wreckage of the aircraft. Based on a detailed badessment of the flight path and the last known radar position, we have now identified a priority search area of ​​about four square nautical miles.

Through the SALMO (Rescue and Maritime Operations) project team of the Ministry of Defense, we have commissioned a specialized control vessel to conduct an underwater seabed survey to try to locate and identify possible debris from the aircraft.

Due to the weather and the sea, we are currently forecasting that seabed research will begin at the end of the weekend and last up to three days. The side scan sonar equipment will be used to try to locate the wreck on the seabed. If the wreckage is found, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) will be used to visually examine the wreckage.

We are aware that private research is also being conducted in the area and we are liaising closely with those involved to maximize the chances of locating the wreck and ensuring the safety of the research.

Our mandate is to conduct safety investigations to establish the cause of accidents. We do not attribute fault or liability.