Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo loses wife and two children in Venezuela earthquakes

Trejo, who plays for Club Sport Maritimo La Guaira, searched for his family for three days in the rubble before their bodies were recovered. The club expressed deep sorrow over the loss. Trejo was at a team training camp in Caracas when the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes hit, and immediately returned to his home in La Guaira, the state most affected.

His brother-in-law, Ricardo Ardiles, described the scene as horrific, with the building completely destroyed. Venezuelan authorities reported nearly 1,500 deaths and tens of thousands still unaccounted for. The disaster, described as a rare "doublet" by the US Geological Survey, also claimed the lives of other footballers, including promising young talent Yimvert Berroteran, and young players Víctor Palacios and Razan Sijaa.

The partner of player Héctor Bello also died while protecting their child. Among the deceased are also eight Chinese nationals.