Emiliano Sala's family have called for officials to recover the wreckage of a plane that went missing two weeks ago over the English Channel, according to the man who discovered it.
Teams led by marine scientist David Mearns discovered the plane, which carried pilot David Ibbotson and Cardiff's £15m striker Sala, on Sunday. One body is visible on board.
The news emerged after the flight went missing over the Channel en route from Nantes to Cardiff on January 21.
Mr Mearns, also known as "the Shipwreck Hunter", has been in regular contact with Sala's family.
He told the Sun last night: “I’ve been in touch with Emiliano’s family and they desperately want the aircraft recovered.
“They want the wreckage brought up as quickly as possible — in fact they are demanding it. They are very keen but bad weather may delay that operation.
“The family have obtained comfort from the plane being found but it has confirmed their worst fears."
It comes as the footballer's family and friends have paid tribute to the striker.
Sala's ex-girlfriend Berenice Schkair posted a series of pictures of him on Instagram alongside the caption "pray for Sala" as the news broke on Monday.
Speaking from Argentina, his father Horacio said: “The hope is over. There are no more words to say. I hope both bodies are on there.
“The news has brought some relief but we still don’t know what exactly happened.”
He had earlier told reporters: "Let's hope they can rescue it as soon as possible to find out what happened and have some sort of certainty.
"I feel very empty. For a father to lose a son, is not something that you expect."
The 28-year-old Sala was preparing to start a new career in the English Premier League at Cardiff after the striker was sold by French topflight club Nantes.
An underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) surveyed the seabed and confirmed an object was the missing Piper Malibu aircraft, with the registration N264DB visible in a picture of the fuselage released on Monday.
"It's imperative that the plane is recovered, and now even more so now we know someone is down there," Mr Mearns said.
Recovering the body without raising the wreckage is complex, according to Ross Taylor of A-to-Sea Solutions, whose survey ship was used in the search.
"ROVs are sometimes able to grab on to items, but whether that would happen I don't know," Taylor said. "Divers can also get down to that depth but it's a much bigger operation. In 25 meters to 30 meters of water, it would be a lot easier, but in 70 meters, it would be a much bigger operation."
Investigators plan to release an interim report into the accident this month. Parts of the plane were first believed to have been discovered last week when two seat cushions were found on the French coast.
