Emiliano Sala's father dies of heart attack months after son killed in plane crash

Emiliano Sala's father has died of a heart attack three months after his footballer son was tragically killed in a plane crash.

Julio Muller, the mayor of his hometown of Progreso, Argentina, confirmed that the 58-year-old died on Friday. He said he died during the night and paramedics were unable to save him.

He said: "2019 doesn't let up in shocking us with news in this town.

"At 5 o'clock in the morning, the lady, his wife, rang me and she was very upset. The doctors were there but when I arrived at their home, he had already died."

Emiliano Sala was killed, along with pilot David Ibbotson, when the Piper Malibu aircraft they were travelling in came down in the English Channel on January 21, two days after Cardiff had made him their record signing.

The 28-year-old was preparing to start a new career in the Premier League after being sold by French topflight club Nantes.

His body was pulled from the wreckage on February 7 but the body of Mr Ibbotson, 59, from Lincolnshire, has still not been found.

Horacio Sala told of his despair after the wreckage of the plane was first discovered

“I cannot believe it. This is a dream. A bad dream. I am desperate," he said.

He later said the family had "drawn strength” from the fact that their son was fulfilling his dream of playing in Europe.

In February, thousands of people including Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock attended the striker's funeral in Progreso.