Investigators reveal they found a body in the wreckage of a plane carrying missing Argentine soccer player Emiliano Sala
Investigators reveal that they found a body in the wreckage of a plane carrying missing Argentine soccer player Emiliano Sala and his pilot.
U.K. police have arrested two people after a mortuary photo of Argentinian soccer player Emiliano Sala was posted on Twitter after his death in a plane crash.
A light aircraft carrying Sala crashed into the English Channel on Jan. 21, 2019, killing the soccer player and the plane’s pilot, David Ibbotson. Sala's body was recovered from the aircraft’s wreckage two weeks later and taken to the U.K. for post mortem. Ibbotson’s body has never been found.
In February police became aware that a photo of the player’s remains at the Holly Tree Lodge mortuary in Bournemouth had been posted on Twitter. The photo has been removed from the platform.
SICK MORGUE PHOTO OF ARGENTINIAN SOCCER PLAYER EMILIANO SALA SURFACES ON TWITTER, SPARKS OUTRAGE
Wiltshire Police announced Monday that a 48-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of unauthorized access to computer material and malicious communication. The woman has been released on conditional bail. A 62-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of unauthorized access to computer material and has been released under investigation.
FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019, file photo, a Nantes soccer team supporters stops by a poster of Argentinian player Emiliano Sala and reading "Let's keep hope" outside La Beaujoire stadium before the French soccer League One match Nantes against Saint-Etienne, in Nantes, western France. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
There had been speculation that someone may have broken into the mortuary, which is run by Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council, to take the picture.
“There is no evidence to suggest a break-in at the mortuary, and no evidence to suggest that any staff from the mortuary, or indeed any other council employees, are involved in any wrongdoing,” said Wiltshire Police, in its statement.
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Sala’s post-mortem was conducted on Feb. 7 and on Feb. 13, Dorset Police became aware that the vile image had been posted on Twitter. Officers worked on the investigation with police in the neighboring county of Wiltshire, where the arrests were made.
In this image released Monday, Feb. 4, 2019, by the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) showing the rear left side of the fuselage including part of the aircraft registration N264DB that went missing carrying soccer player Emiliano Sala, when it disappeared from radar contact on Jan. 21 2019. (AAIB via AP)
"My thoughts remain with Emiliano's family for the pain they have endured throughout the last three months, and who should not have to go through the additional anguish of knowing such distressing images have circulated on the internet,” said Detective Inspector Gemma Vinton, senior investigating officer for Wiltshire Police, in a statement. "I would also urge people to stop sharing the image - this is causing further distress to Emiliano's family and friends.
Vinton also urged the media to “refrain from speculation,” citing the police’s ongoing investigation.
People leave flowers on Emiliano Sala's coffin at the cemetery in Santa Fe, Argentina, Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
The 28-year-old was on his way from France to join his new team, Cardiff City of the Premier League, when the plane went missing. Sala had just completed a $19.4 million transfer from French team FC Nantes.
Understandably, the mortuary image has fueled widespread anger.
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“We are revolted by this heartless act and cannot understand why anyone would do such a vile and hurtful thing,” said Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council, in a statement emailed to Fox News. “We are of course supporting the Police in their investigation in any way that we can, and will continue to provide any assistance required. As the Police investigation is ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.”
Flowers and tributes are placed outside Cardiff City Football Club, Wales, Wednesday Jan. 23, 2019, after a plane with new signing Emiliano Sala on board went missing over the English Channel. (Ben Birchall/PA via AP)
"We have a gratuitous gore policy which we take robust action on when we identify content that violates our rules,” a Twitter spokeswoman told Fox News via email.
Twitter is monitoring the situation.
Sala had just completed a $19.4 million transfer from French team FC Nantes when the plane crashed near the island of Guernsey.
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The Sala family’s tragedy continued last week when the soccer player’s father died of a heart attack at his home in Argentina.
Fox News’ Lucia I. Suarez Sang contributed to this article.
Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
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