On Thursday, the announcement that everyone dreaded arrived. Three days after the plane carrying Emiliano Sala went missing, the search for the Argentine attacker was canceled.
The Guernsey Police department had been leading the mission to find the former Nantes ace. However, they issued a press release in which they revealed that they had called it off as the odds of finding the player and the pilot alive are "extremely remote".
Tributes poured in shortly afterward, with Cardiff City, the team Sala was headed to before this tragic incident, announcing plans to honor the South American when they host Arsenal in the Premier League. However, for the vast majority, giving up is not an option.
Romina Sala, the sister of the missing footballer, issued an emotional plea begging for the rescue workers to resume the search for her brother. His father also issued a similar statement, saying: "Do not stop looking. It cannot be that a plane disappears and there is no trace of anything."
A number of the world's biggest player joined Sala's family to help convince Guernsey Police to continue. The likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, and several others took to social media using the hashtag #NoDejenDeBuscar - "do not stop looking".
Sala's sisters asks people on social media to join her petition to get the rescue mission back underway
#NoDejenDeBuscar El pedido de Romina Sala, la hermana de Emiliano. ¡Ayudemos! pic.twitter.com/UDf582BbFM
— TyC Sports (@TyCSports) January 24, 2019
Football stars and fans alike join the #NoDejenDeBuscar campaign
Lionel Messi have wrote an emotional message to the Emiliano Sala search teams:
— Oddschanger (@Oddschanger) January 25, 2019
Translation-
"As long as there's a chance, a thread of hope, we ask that you please #DontStopLooking for Emiliano. All of my strength and support to his family and friends. #PrayForSala"
pic.twitter.com/l7paylkQIv
We don't want to give up, we want to hold on to hope. That's why I also wish #NoDejenDeBuscar - don't call off the search. From the start, my thoughts have been with Emiliano, his family and friends #PrayForSala
— Sergio Kun Aguero (@aguerosergiokun) January 24, 2019
"Soy @g_Higuain. Pido por favor a todas las personas del mundo, ya sea con un tuit, un video, un mensaje en Instagram, pedir para continuar hasta las últimas consecuencias la búsqueda de Emiliano Sala" #NoDejendeBuscar pic.twitter.com/5DYsNzpI31
— TKM (@mundotkmcom) January 24, 2019
Hi, I'm Nicolás Otamendi. I'd like to express my sympathies to Emiliano's family, and urge the police to keep searching for the plane. There's still hope to find them alive. All my support to his family, and let's hope they get an answer urgently #prayforemilianosala pic.twitter.com/4k37Zgk3U1
— Nicolas Otamendi (@Notamendi30) January 24, 2019
#NoDejenDeBuscar#PrayForSala pic.twitter.com/A0az8sB9dA
— Selección Argentina (@Argentina) January 25, 2019
FC Nantes has learnt that the search for the missing plane was called off.
— FC Nantes (@FCNantes) January 24, 2019
This search mustn't stop, @GuernseyPolice
The club and its supporters strongly ask for the search to find @EmilianoSala1 to go on, for his family and his near relatives. Together for Emi ! #PrayForSala pic.twitter.com/7C1PrMUV7R
A message to join the request of Emiliano Sala Family, to continue with the search. Both families need to know where they are and what happened. #nodejendebuscar pic.twitter.com/pOkWZkDXBx
— Fede Fernandez (@pajarofernandez) January 24, 2019
KEEP SEARCHING #NoDejenDeBuscar pic.twitter.com/vLJlynJMeF
— Nermine kordab (@kordab_nermine) January 24, 2019
football is about miracles. #NoDejenDeBuscar
— R e n e è (@ReignStones) January 25, 2019
We still praying. YOU KEEP ON SEARCHING @GuernseyPolice! #NoParenDeBuscar #NoDejenDeBuscar #pray4sala #PrayForSala #PrayForEmilianoSala pic.twitter.com/tcOkGqxAqO
— Agustina Rubiolo (@AguRubiolo) January 24, 2019
Football clubs make bank on these young athletes and they should be held accountable when harm comes their way. @CardiffCityFC please take over the search for Sala. Don't wash your hands clean by saying you didn't make the flight arrangements. #PrayForSala #NoDejenDeBuscar
— These people exist. (@anni_ful) January 24, 2019
Don't give up, keep searching. #NoDejenDeBuscar #NoDejenDeBuscar pic.twitter.com/AxjrcfgnTW
— نواف. (@I6naw) January 25, 2019
Our fingers are crossed that this message will get through to the rescue workers. While hope still exists, giving up is not acceptable.