Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo has suffered an unimaginable personal tragedy after his wife and two young children were found dead in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela. Trejo himself led a 74-hour operation to find his family, only to receive the devastating news.
The South American nation was rocked by powerful 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes on Wednesday, leaving widespread destruction. The disaster has claimed at least 1,430 lives, while tens of thousands remain missing as rescue teams continue to search through the rubble.
Trejo's wife, Yanina Maranella, and the couple's children, Aarón and Ainhoa, had been missing since the earthquakes struck. Hope gradually faded as rescuers searched relentlessly for more than three days before the heartbreaking discovery was made. Family friend and footballer Edson Tortolero confirmed the tragic news in an emotional Instagram post.
""We inform all the people of Venezuela and Argentina that the bodies of Lucas Trejo's family members have been found lifeless. We thank everyone for the support and ask for the most sincere respect for his family at this time. We pray for eternal life for them," Tortolero wrote in Spanish.
Trejo's club, Venezuelan outfit Club Sport Marítimo de La Guaira, also confirmed the deaths in an official statement. The 38-year-old defender joined Marítimo earlier this year but has spent much of his professional career playing in Venezuela. According to reports in Argentina, Trejo's father and brother had travelled to Venezuela to support him during the desperate search for his family.
The earthquakes have left Venezuela reeling, with authorities reporting at least 68,900 people still missing as emergency personnel race against time to locate survivors. Rescue efforts continue across the worst-hit regions amid fears the death toll could rise significantly.
