Tragic Loss in Venezuela
The family of Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo has been found dead following the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela last week. Trejo, a center back for Venezuelan club Sport Maritimo de La Guaira, lost his wife, Yanina Maranella, and their two children, Aarón and Ainhoa. The family was in Playa Grande, La Guaira, when the disaster occurred, leading to the collapse of their beachfront home.
The earthquakes, described as a rare “doublet” by the US Geological Survey with two major tremors striking just 39 seconds apart, are the strongest to hit Venezuela in over a century. Authorities reported more than 1,400 fatalities and thousands more missing. The region of La Guaira, located north of the capital, bore the brunt of the destruction.
Trejo, who is 38, was at a team training camp in Caracas when the earthquakes struck. He immediately rushed to his home in La Guaira, approximately 18 miles north of the capital, to search for his family. His brother-in-law, Ricardo Ardiles, described the scene as horrific, noting that nothing remained of the building. Trejo spent much of the initial days sifting through rubble, appealing for heavy machinery to aid the search efforts.
Search and Confirmation
The frantic search for Trejo‘s loved ones spanned 74 hours. Friends and teammates, including Robert Garcés of Metropolitanos F.C., made a video plea for additional machinery, highlighting the inadequacy of the equipment available. Trejo‘s father and brother travelled from Argentina to assist in the search alongside firefighters, military personnel, and volunteers.
The search concluded tragically on Sunday when the bodies of Yanina Maranella, Aarón, and Ainhoa were recovered from the collapsed building. Club Sport Marítimo La Guaira issued an official statement expressing profound sorrow for the “irreparable loss” suffered by Trejo’s family. The club conveyed its support, stating, “Lucas, you are not alone. Your family at Maritime La Guaira is with you.”
Former Venezuela international Edson Tortolero, a close friend of Trejo, shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram. He expressed deep sadness and asked for respect for the family during this difficult time. Trejo himself shared a photograph of his family on his Instagram Stories without a caption, following the confirmation of their deaths.
Wider Impact on the Football Community
The earthquakes have claimed the lives of several other individuals within the football community. Yimvert Berroteran, a promising young talent, was among the hundreds of confirmed fatalities. The Venezuelan national team and the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF) confirmed his death. Berroteran, who was 18, had recently played for the U-20 national team and participated in the U-17 World Cup in Doha months prior.
Additionally, young players Víctor Palacios and Razan Sijaa also died in the disaster, as confirmed by the FVF and their respective clubs. The partner of another player, Héctor Bello, a defender for Marítimo de La Guaira, also passed away. Bello stated on social media that his partner died while protecting their toddler, using her body to shield their baby girl.
The search for survivors has now extended beyond the critical 72-hour window, after which the chances of survival without a water source diminish rapidly. Some studies suggest that the majority of live rescues occur within the first five or six days following such events. The disaster has also affected foreign residents and tourists, with at least eight Chinese nationals and nine Spanish nationals confirmed dead, and over 100 Spanish nationals reported missing.
Read Also
Source: cnn.com
