The heartbroken family of tragic footballer Emiliano Sala have gathered in his Argentinian hometown for his funeral.
Thousands of grieving fans showed up for the procession in the town of Progreso near Santa Fe to pay their respects to the tragic footballer after he died in a plane crash over the English Channel.
Sala was flying to Cardiff from Nantes on January 21 when the plane, a Piper Malibu crashed into the sea .
The 28-year-old striker's body was repatriated on Friday before it was returned to Progreso, about 350 miles from Buenos Aires, for the public vigil.
His mother, father and sister were seen struggling to contain their emotions as his coffin was brought out for the funeral.
Family members were seen crying as they were surrounded by a throng of supporters who looked on.
Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock and the club's chief executive Ken Choo also in attendance.
His body will be cremated at a private service in the city of Santa Fe on Saturday afternoon local time.
Before the funeral, San Martin de Progreso posted a tribute to Facebook which said: "We are waiting for you... like the first day you left but this time to stay with us forever. You went and you are an example for everyone."
He died on January 21 when the plane he was travelling in crashed in the English Channel after he had visited players at his former French club, Nantes.
His body was pulled from the wreckage on February 7 but the British pilot, David Ibbotson, 59, from Lincolnshire, has not been found.
A fundraising campaign to restart the search for the pilot has raised more than £240,000.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain earlier this week, his daughter Danielle said the family would not give up hope.
"If you've got hope then you shouldn't give up," she said. "He wouldn't stop searching for me."
She added: "We still hope and pray and hope everyone keeps my dad in their prayers."
The plane remains on the seabed off the coast of Guernsey in the English channel.
KARGBO Ibrahim b
106
You promise to give me a goal at Cardiff.emmelo salah buy buy rest on piece you are still Cardiff top scorer even though you didn't arrive at the club.
momeinp
94
RIP sala
Tedlm
44
It touch my heart, as if I have lost my own blood, have never watch him played football, but the name Sala is as sweet, Liverpool Sala and Cardiff Sala , it would have been so lovely to watch him play but death came in the time that is wrong, I shared in your pain as you dwell with the Most High God, remain In peace and for the pilot, may God Almighty God, daddy my God my everything, With all the money donated, nothing can be done, but with you God everything can be done, let the daughter see the father and wish him well and kiss is father even for the last time, that my prayer, amen with tears for a man or friend I never know but With god we are all one