Emiliano Sala Officially Pronounced Dead After Body Recovered from Plane Crash

Emiliano Sala's body has been recovered from the wreckage of a plane that went down over the English Channel, Dorset Police confirmed Thursday (h/t Jim White of Sky Sports):

Sala had been missing since a plane carrying the player and pilot David Ibbotson went off radar the evening of Monday, January 21.

Premier League side Cardiff City, who had agreed a club-record deal to sign from Nantes during the January transfer window, released a statement online offering "our most heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the family of Emiliano. He and David will forever remain in our thoughts."

Investigators had spotted the body in the wreckage of a plane Monday. BBC News reported the "Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) said the operation had been carried out 'as dignified a way as possible' and the men's families were kept updated throughout."

Meanwhile, Dorset Police also announced "specially-trained family liaison officers" are working to support the families of both Sala and Ibbotson.

Many others within the footballing fraternity have responded to the news by paying their respects in memory of the 28-year-old Argentinian forward:

An initial search for the light aircraft was suspended by Guernsey Police on January 24. However, the search was quickly resumed after "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," per the BBC.

Tributes were made to Sala and Ibbotson when Cardiff played Arsenal in the Premier League on January 29. The game at the Emirates Stadium would have been Sala's debut for his new club:

The Bluebirds also paid tribute to Sala and Ibbotson when the club hosted Bournemouth on Saturday, with an arrangement of tulips and daffodils inside the Cardiff City Stadium.