A new search for missing Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala has been launched after more than £250,000 was raised to fund the operation.
An official search and rescue operation for the Piper PA-46 Malibu carrying the Argentinian striker and pilot David Ibbotson was called off on Thursday.
Pleas for the search to resume were made by the 28-year-old player’s family, Argentinian football stars Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Sergio Aguero, and the country’s president Mauricio Macri.
Donations from footballers including Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan have helped a GoFundMe page raising money for the search to reach a revised target of 300,000 euros (£259,000).
A statement on the GoFundMe page read: “The call for funds launched late Friday afternoon allowed the relatives of Emiliano Sala, via a specialised organisation, to resume research in the Channel early Saturday morning. Two boats conduct the operations.”