MISSING: Footballer lost at sea after his plane disappeared over the English Channel

FORMER Soledad de Palma youth footballer, Emiliano Sala, is presumed lost at sea after his plane disappeared while crossing the English Channel on Monday.

A major search was underway at the time of going to press, and authorities are clinging to the hope he and the pilot of the small aircraft managed to make it into a life raft on board.

Argentinian, Sala, 28, was travelling from Nantes to Cardiff having said farewell to his former teammates in France following a reported €17 million move to the Premier League club.

The pilot reportedly requested descent on passing Guernsey, but lost contact with air traffic control while flying at 2,300 feet.

Guernsey police tweeted that one of the four options was that ‘they landed on water and made it into the life raft we know was on board….our search is prioritised on the life raft option’.

His former coach at Soledad, Llorenc Julia, 2007 to 2008, told Spanish press he arrived aged 16, and said ‘it was a good time for the club….on the field as a youth, he really stood out, that’s why he was summoned several times’.