Earthquake in Turkey: Kevin Soni tells the tragedy

Kévin Soni almost lost his life in the terrible earthquake that shook Turkey on Monday 6 February. Teammate of Ghanaian Christian Atsu - who has since been reported missing - at Hatayspor, the Cameroonian international spoke to Foot Mercato about the tragedy.

The fear of a lifetime. Terrible moments forever etched in the memory. A tragedy. Cameroonian international Kevin Soni (24) is certainly not close to forgetting the terrible earthquake that shook Turkey on Monday, February 6. Player of Hatayspor, the Cameroonian international has seen the horror with his own eyes. And almost lost his life. In an interview with Foot Mercato, the Indomitable Lion, traumatized, returned on the film of the tragedy.

"I went home after the game. I was sitting with my cousins and we were playing PlayStation. Around 4 or 5 in the morning, the ground started shaking. At that point, I told my cousins to calm down. It was when the ceiling and walls started to fall on us that we started to flee up the stairs. We just had time to grab our passports and phones, I don't even know how I thought of that. We were lucky to get out of the building before everything collapsed (...) It was a day when everything really changed. There were many deaths. If you had told me that a week before, I would have told you that it was impossible...", he says.

Bruised by the horror that was played out before his eyes, Kevin Soni seems to find it hard to believe: "It's an ordeal I've never experienced before. It's really something that you don't expect and that marks you for life. They often say that in life you never know. I can tell you that I really saw why they say you never know a few days ago," persists the Cameroonian. At the time, I thought it was the end of the world and the end of everything. I saw people dying next to me. I was traumatized. Today, I realize that life is hanging by a thread. It's in these moments that you realize that everything is vanity. Everyone abandons their homes, their cars, and looks for a place to hide. It was definitely a situation worthy of a Netflix movie except that it was reality unfortunately. It was the most shocking thing to me since I started playing soccer and in my life. I never thought I would experience something like this."

The last person to speak with Christian Atsu

If he escaped with his life, it is not the case of his club teammate, Christian Atsu. The Ghanaian is missing since Monday, February 6. According to Kevin Soni, he was probably the last person with whom Atsu exchanged. "I get goosebumps talking to you. Before it happened, I was talking with Christian Atsu on the phone," he told Foot Mercato. He had scored a free kick on Sunday and I told him he had played well and that I liked his game. I told him I hoped to be back on the pitch soon so we could play together."

He continues: "But I didn't know that was the last time I would talk to him. Two hours later, I hadn't heard from him. I was told that my friend might be dead, it's enough to drive you crazy. I was certainly the last person to speak with him on the phone. I'm not proud to say that, I really hope that he will be found safe and sound. That's my wish. I pray every day for that."