Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo is mourning the loss of his wife and two children after the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela last week.
Trejo, who features for Venezuelan second-tier side Club Sport Marítimo La Guaira, reportedly spent three days searching the wreckage of his collapsed home before rescue teams recovered the bodies of his wife, Yanina, and their children, Aaron and Ainhoa.
Expressing sympathy, the club wrote on Instagram, “Club Sport Maritimo La Guaira deeply mourns the irreparable loss of our player’s wife and children.”
The 38-year-old was attending a training camp with his club in Caracas when the twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes hit on Wednesday. He immediately travelled back to La Guaira, one of the regions hardest affected by the disaster.
Recalling the heartbreaking moment, Trejo’s brother-in-law, Ricardo Ardiles, told CNN, “He found absolutely nothing of what the building itself had been.”
Authorities said the earthquakes have killed nearly 1,500 people, while thousands of others remain missing as rescue operations continue.
In a separate message, the club assured the player of its support, saying, “Lucas, you are not alone. Your family at Maritime La Guaira is with you.”
The disaster has also claimed the lives of several members of Venezuela’s football community. Among them was 18-year-old Yimvert Berroteran, who represented the country at the U-17 World Cup and recently played for the U-20 national team.
Young footballers Víctor Palacios and Razan Sijaa were also confirmed dead, while the partner of player Héctor Bello died while shielding their young daughter during the earthquake.
Paying tribute to her, Bello wrote, “I’ll make sure to remind our baby girl how wonderful you were and how much you loved her.”
The tragedy also affected foreign nationals, with Chinese state media reporting that eight Chinese citizens were among those killed.
