Emiliano Sala's father confirmed dead three months after son's death

Horacio Sala suffered a heart attack on Friday, his friend and president of his local club confirmed.

Daniel Ribero, from San Martin de Progreso, told C5N TV channel that the 58-year-old had passed away before doctors arrived at his home in Progreso. The club disclosed Mr Sala’s death and president Mr Ribero adds: “At dawn he felt a pain in his chest, they called the doctor but when he arrived, Horacio had already passed away.”

It would be recalled that Emiliano Sala’s plane crashed en route to Cardiff after leaving from France. The Argentine footballer was on his way to joining his new club Cardiff City from French club Nantes in a club record £15m deal when the crash happened over the English Channel.

Progreso mayor, Julio Muller led the tributes to Mr Sala, telling La Red radio station: “Horacio could not overcome Emi, we thought that after the discovery he would be able to close that circle.”

In a statement, Cardiff City said the club offered its “deepest condolences” to Mr Sala’s friends and family.

“They are very much in the thoughts of us all at this difficult time,” a spokesman says.

The Piper Malibu N264DB plane carrying Sala and pilot David Ibbotson went missing over waters near the Channel Islands on 21 January and it took rescuers two weeks to find the wreckage. The football star’s body was recovered on 8 February after a private rescue team took over the search for the missing plane.

Air accident investigators are still looking into why the Piper Malibu plane carrying Sala to Cardiff for his first training session crashed. The light aircraft was piloted by Mr Ibbotson, from Crowle, North Lincolnshire, whose body has not been found.