Emiliano Sala 'didn't want to get on the plane' on night of

Emiliano Sala 'didn't want to get on the plane' on night of fateful journey

A close friend has spoken about what happened.


Tuesday 5th February 2019



A close friend has spoken about what happened

A friend of Emiliano Sala says the Cardiff City striker "never wanted to board" the private flight that crashed into the English Channel.

Maximiliano Duarte said on Argentine TV Sala had told him he did not want to travel from Nantes to Cardiff on the night of January 21, preferring instead to stay until the following day. He was due to take part in his first training session at Cardiff City on the Tuesday.

The single-engined Piper Malibu PA-46 aircraft, which was piloted by David Ibbotson, was discovered on the seabed north of Guernsey on Sunday. Accident investigators have confirmed a body is among the wreckage.



Sala's travel was organised by agent Willie McKay and his family, who helped broker the deal between Nantes and Cardiff City.

Text messages between Sala and Jack McKay, one of Willie McKay's sons, reveal Sala was initially looking into making his own travel plans on a commercial flight before he was offered a private plane.

After accepting the offer of free travel, he was asked if he could travel back on the Monday evening as the pilot head to get home to the north of England after landing in Cardiff.


Willie McKay has previously stated he contacted a pilot called David Henderson about flying Sala to and from Nantes that weekend, but he was seemingly unavailable and the piloting duties were passed on to Mr Ibbotson.

An audio message sent by Sala to friends from the aircraft on the fateful Monday night hears the tired footballer refer to being on a plane "that seems to be falling apart".



The Whatsapp message that Emiliano Sala sent to his friends
"Emiliano never decided to get onto that plane," Duarte told Americas Noticias.

"They are all obligations that one has, that as a professional player he accepted.

“Of course he did not want to. I was a footballer, the advisable thing is to get up early, eat breakfast accordingly and travel afterwards to get there well and rested. The conditions were totally forced, he said it. There are always messages between friends.

“He said: ‘I cannot rest, I haven’t stopped all day.’ In the audio message it’s clear. And in some previous messages he sent me he told me he wanted to stay and sleep: ‘I don’t want to travel, I’d prefer to stay here tonight.”

He added: “He didn’t want to travel, there is someone responsible, I don’t want to speak more than what is normal until the information is clearer. There is an agreement among our friends not to say more for now.”

Willie McKay last week told L'Equipe of his family's devastation and "nightmare" in the the aftermath of what happened.

He reportedly said: "If I had never asked Nantes for a mandate to negotiate about Sala's transfer, he would still be among us."

McKay insists neither him or his family had any involvement in choosing the specific pilot or plane.

Really wish these 'friends' would not give out part stories until things are clear, it must be even more (if possible) heartbreaking for the families.

Emiliano Sala 'didn't want to get on the plane' on night of fateful journey

A close friend has spoken about what happened.


Tuesday 5th February 2019



A close friend has spoken about what happened

A friend of Emiliano Sala says the Cardiff City striker "never wanted to board" the private flight that crashed into the English Channel.

Maximiliano Duarte said on Argentine TV Sala had told him he did not want to travel from Nantes to Cardiff on the night of January 21, preferring instead to stay until the following day. He was due to take part in his first training session at Cardiff City on the Tuesday.

The single-engined Piper Malibu PA-46 aircraft, which was piloted by David Ibbotson, was discovered on the seabed north of Guernsey on Sunday. Accident investigators have confirmed a body is among the wreckage.



Sala's travel was organised by agent Willie McKay and his family, who helped broker the deal between Nantes and Cardiff City.

Text messages between Sala and Jack McKay, one of Willie McKay's sons, reveal Sala was initially looking into making his own travel plans on a commercial flight before he was offered a private plane.

After accepting the offer of free travel, he was asked if he could travel back on the Monday evening as the pilot head to get home to the north of England after landing in Cardiff.


Willie McKay has previously stated he contacted a pilot called David Henderson about flying Sala to and from Nantes that weekend, but he was seemingly unavailable and the piloting duties were passed on to Mr Ibbotson.

An audio message sent by Sala to friends from the aircraft on the fateful Monday night hears the tired footballer refer to being on a plane "that seems to be falling apart".



The Whatsapp message that Emiliano Sala sent to his friends
"Emiliano never decided to get onto that plane," Duarte told Americas Noticias.

"They are all obligations that one has, that as a professional player he accepted.

“Of course he did not want to. I was a footballer, the advisable thing is to get up early, eat breakfast accordingly and travel afterwards to get there well and rested. The conditions were totally forced, he said it. There are always messages between friends.

“He said: ‘I cannot rest, I haven’t stopped all day.’ In the audio message it’s clear. And in some previous messages he sent me he told me he wanted to stay and sleep: ‘I don’t want to travel, I’d prefer to stay here tonight.”

He added: “He didn’t want to travel, there is someone responsible, I don’t want to speak more than what is normal until the information is clearer. There is an agreement among our friends not to say more for now.”

Willie McKay last week told L'Equipe of his family's devastation and "nightmare" in the the aftermath of what happened.

He reportedly said: "If I had never asked Nantes for a mandate to negotiate about Sala's transfer, he would still be among us."

McKay insists neither him or his family had any involvement in choosing the specific pilot or plane.

I can see investigations going on for some while inregards to the build up never mind the plane actually going down as nothing ads up at all when reading every article.. They all seem to be along the same lines.

Not alot at all coming from French media at all either.

This could change and should history in football transfers and agents quality control for the best

#sala

:(

What's all that about?

The original pilot was unavailable? But if he was unavailable why did he pass through security ? From previous reports allegedly he refused to fly because of the conditions. Lots to come out of this and mud is going to be thrown from every angle. The first pilot the pilots family, the agents and Nantes and the City. In the middle is 15 million and his wages and compensation.

The original pilot was unavailable? But if he was unavailable why did he pass through security ? From previous reports allegedly he refused to fly because of the conditions. Lots to come out of this and mud is going to be thrown from every angle. The first pilot the pilots family, the agents and Nantes and the City. In the middle is 15 million and his wages and compensation.

not sure where you got all of this refused to fly and going through security stuff.

Really wish these 'friends' would not give out part stories until things are clear, it must be even more (if possible) heartbreaking for the families.

fully agree, but some people want to vent their anger

:(

What's all that about?

Just angry that, nobody listening to him at the time. Someone made him to sit in that plane.

:(

What's all that about?

Just angry that, nobody listening to him at the time. Someone made him to sit in that plane.

he was a 28 year old millionaire Ibby, I know it does not suit peoples anger but nobody made him do anything he had options and if his text messages to the McKay kid are genuine his own choice would have been to leave even later that evening.

Dogfound you are right, but if he was not keen, he should have told them, but money was is the pipeline, in this deal.

It was accident.

Nobody forced anybody on to any planes.

Dogfound you are right, but if he was not keen, he should have told them, but money was is the pipeline, in this deal.

with hindsight
I am sure the club regret not sorting and paying for a jet, and Mckay no doubt regrets telling Sala no cost instead of sorting a jet and billing him. Henderson is probably torn, half thanking god he is still alive and half thinking had he gone maybe nobody dies..as for David Ibottson and Emiliano we will never know what conversations they had that night regarding flying if any at all.

people are far to quick to blame and say nonfacts though.

Didn't Sala fly with the same plane and pilot over to Nantes on the Friday? If so, he knew exactly the condition of the plane and risks involved with flying back to Cardiff, so, that would suggest, that he can't have been as concerned, as the messages to friends are making out, as there were alternatives available. It's a tragic accident that everyone involved has had, an imput in, including the player.

Didn't Sala fly with the same plane and pilot over to Nantes on the Friday? If so, he knew exactly the condition of the plane and risks involved with flying back to Cardiff, so, that would suggest, that he can't have been as concerned, as the messages to friends are making out, as there were alternatives available. It's a tragic accident that everyone involved has had, an imput in, including the player.

No Sala, flew on a plane our club organised then

Didn't Sala fly with the same plane and pilot over to Nantes on the Friday? If so, he knew exactly the condition of the plane and risks involved with flying back to Cardiff, so, that would suggest, that he can't have been as concerned, as the messages to friends are making out, as there were alternatives available. It's a tragic accident that everyone involved has had, an imput in, including the player.

No Sala, flew on a plane our club organised then

Are you sure Annis? Im sure I read somewhere that he flew over with the same pilot on Friday, thats why the pilot was already in Nantes, waiting for the return flight

Didn't Sala fly with the same plane and pilot over to Nantes on the Friday? If so, he knew exactly the condition of the plane and risks involved with flying back to Cardiff, so, that would suggest, that he can't have been as concerned, as the messages to friends are making out, as there were alternatives available. It's a tragic accident that everyone involved has had, an imput in, including the player.

No Sala, flew on a plane our club organised then

I just checked Annis, below are the text messages between the agent son and Sala, which clearly states that the same pilot and plane was used to fly him to Nantes on Saturday

Full text message exchange
These messages between Jack McKay and Sala were translated from French.

Friday, 18 January

7:43pm - Jack McKay:"My dad has told me that you are going home tomorrow. He could organise a plane to take you direct to Nantes and to come back on Monday, at a time that suits you, so you can get to training on Tuesday."

7:51pm-Emiliano Sala: "Ah that is great. I was just in the middle of checking if there are some flights to get to Nantes tomorrow."

7:56pm-McKay: "He said he could organise a plane that would go direct to Nantes."

7:56pm- Sala: "How much will it cost?"

7:56pm-McKay: "Nothing. He said if you help me to score goals it's nothing."

7:59pm-Sala: "Hahaha with pleasure."

8:00pm- Sala: "We are going to score lots of goals."

8:01pm - Sala: "I want to leave tomorrow for Nantes at around 11am and come back on Monday night around 9pm to Cardiff if that is possible."

8:05pm -McKay:"Good. I'll send a message when that's sorted."

Sunday, 20 January

5:00pm - McKay: "Hi there is it possible you could come back at seven in the evening on Monday night? Just because the pilot has to get home in the north after he gets to Cardiff."

5:01pm - Sala:"Hi, Half past seven would be possible."

5:03pm - McKay:"Yes that's good."

5:05pm -Sala: "[PICTURE OF LUGGAGE] Can you ask if I can bring this on the plane?"

5:06pm -McKay: "Good yeah."

5:07pm - Sala:"But is that going to be OK for the plane?"

McKay: "Yes there is space on the plane for your luggage."

5:12pm - Sala: "OK."

Monday, 21 January

4:16pm - McKay: "I'm going to call in a moment."

4.23pm -McKay: "He said that it is the same company."

4.27pm - Sala:"OK thank

Didn't Sala fly with the same plane and pilot over to Nantes on the Friday? If so, he knew exactly the condition of the plane and risks involved with flying back to Cardiff, so, that would suggest, that he can't have been as concerned, as the messages to friends are making out, as there were alternatives available. It's a tragic accident that everyone involved has had, an imput in, including the player.

yep , David Ibbotson stayed in Nantes ,apparently using Hendersons debit card. its all been well documented even down to what hotel and what he ate ,drank and what time he left the hotel.

so yes the player knew the pilot, knew the plane.

it doesn't sit well in the conspiracy/blame theories though.

Didn't Sala fly with the same plane and pilot over to Nantes on the Friday? If so, he knew exactly the condition of the plane and risks involved with flying back to Cardiff, so, that would suggest, that he can't have been as concerned, as the messages to friends are making out, as there were alternatives available. It's a tragic accident that everyone involved has had, an imput in, including the player.

yep , David Ibbotson stayed in Nantes ,apparently using Hendersons debit card. its all been well documented even down to what hotel and what he ate ,drank and what time he left the hotel.

so yes the player knew the pilot, knew the plane.

it doesn't sit well in the conspiracy/blame theories though.

Hmm. I really don’t see any conspiracy. Only responsibilities. Sala made his own choices. So did the agent, and the pilot, and the owner of the plane/company leasing it. Would you do it? Go up in a shit bucket with what might be an under qualified pilot, just to get a few more hours with your dog and friends? I know I wouldn’t.

Didn't Sala fly with the same plane and pilot over to Nantes on the Friday? If so, he knew exactly the condition of the plane and risks involved with flying back to Cardiff, so, that would suggest, that he can't have been as concerned, as the messages to friends are making out, as there were alternatives available. It's a tragic accident that everyone involved has had, an imput in, including the player.

yep , David Ibbotson stayed in Nantes ,apparently using Hendersons debit card. its all been well documented even down to what hotel and what he ate ,drank and what time he left the hotel.

so yes the player knew the pilot, knew the plane.

it doesn't sit well in the conspiracy/blame theories though.

Hmm. I really don’t see any conspiracy. Only responsibilities. Sala made his own choices. So did the agent, and the pilot, and the owner of the plane/company leasing it. Would you do it? Go up in a shit bucket with what might be an under qualified pilot, just to get a few more hours with your dog and friends? I know I wouldn’t.

well he certainly knew it was a favour and also that it was the same plane that took him there . and, having arrived in Nantes did have 2/3 days to ponder making other arrangements and did not.

just I do not see things as black and white as those who want to blame someone .anyone.