Cardiff City striker Emiliano Sala confirmed dead in plane crash

The body found in the plane wreckage on the seabed of the English Channel has been identified as missing Cardiff City striker Emiliano Sala.

Sala and pilot David Ibbotson have been missing since their aircraft went off the radar on January 21 while travelling from Nantes to Cardiff.

Wreckage of the plane was found in the English Channel on Sunday, and further searches of the crash site revealed that a body was among the debris.

Dorset Police have now confirmed that the body is that of Sala, who was travelling to Cardiff just days after joining the Bluebirds in a club-record £15m deal.

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

"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."

The whereabouts of Mr Ibbotson remain unknown, although the pilot is also presumed dead.