A footballer unveiled just days ago as a £15million (NZ$28.8m) Premier League signing was feared dead on Tuesday (Wednesday NZT) in a plane crash after wreckage believed to belong to his aircraft was found in the English Channel.
Emiliano Sala, 28, Cardiff City's record-breaking new striker, is believed to have been killed with his pilot after a light aircraft chartered by the club encountered trouble after taking off in France on Monday night.
The Piper Malibu lost contact on the return leg near the Casquets lighthouse off Alderney at 8.30pm, local time.
Five aircraft and two lifeboats continued scouring more than 1,100 square miles of the Channel and, last night, rescue sources confirmed plane parts and seats were seen in the water.
Reports in France claimed he had told Nicolas Pallois, a team-mate who drove him to the airport, that the trip "had been bumpy and he feared for his safety for the journey back".
However, Sala looked happy hours before take-off, posting pictures with his former team-mates. On one he poignantly wrote "the last goodbye".
Ken Choo, Cardiff City's chief executive, said everyone at the club was "very distressed" and "praying for positive news".
Speaking from Argentina, Sala's father, Horacio, said he was desperate for news. He broke down in tears as he described him as a "small town humble boy", adding: "I just can't believe it."
Sala's mother, Mercedes Taffarel, said her son was "enjoying the best moment of his career so far."
Meanwhile, leading sports lawyers told The Daily Telegraph the financial situation could become complex for Cardiff and Nantes in the weeks ahead.
Richard Santy, of Mills & Reeve, said "usually clubs would have insurance in place to cover this sort of situation". However, Alex Haffner, a partner at Fladgate LLP, said: "It's unprecedented in terms of the timing."
Both lawyers agreed Cardiff may look to renegotiate with Nantes if they agreed to pay the 15 million fee in instalments. Mr Haffner also suggested there may be complications if the paperwork had yet to be cleared at Fifa.
Sala had posed for pictures with Cardiff supporters and spoken of his excitement at joining the club last week.
Oliver Watson, 17, from Barry, said: "He was just so nice and very friendly. He couldn't speak much English, but that didn't matter. He couldn't stop smiling. It was a brief encounter, but he asked how we were and that was really nice. When I saw the news, I just couldn't believe it. It was a shock."
Cardiff City supporters arrived at the club to pay their respects last night.
The Piper Malibu was flying at 2,300ft and requested descent as it passed Guernsey but vanished from the radar as Jersey air traffic control attempted to make contact.
It went missing as severe weather warnings about snow and ice were issued across France.
John Fitzgerald, chief officer of Channel Islands Air Search, said: "We just don't know how it disappeared. It just completely vanished. There was no radio conversation... The sea temperatures are very, very cold and just sap the core temperature of anybody in the water very, very quickly."
Nantes announced their French Cup match due to be staged tonight against L'Entente Sannois Saint-Gratien had been postponed in agreement with the French Football Federation.
Speaking on TV channel CNEWS, Waldemar Kita, the Nantes FC president, said: "He came back because he wanted to say goodbye to his friends. He was a polite, kind and adorable boy, loved by everyone."
Cardiff have no Premier League fixture this weekend, but cancelled training on Tuesday.
Choo added: "We expected Emiliano to arrive last night in Cardiff and today was due to be his first day with the team. Our owner, Tan Sri Vincent Tan, and chairman, Mehmet Dalman, are all very distressed."
Just 10 weeks ago, Cardiff were Leicester City's first Premier League opponents after the club's Thai owner was killed in a helicopter crash