A picture shows flowers put in front of the entrance of the training centre La Joneliere in La Chapelle-Sur-Erdre on January 25, 2019, after the plane of Argentinian forward Emiliano Sala vanished during a flight from Nantes, western France, to Cardiff in Wales.
LOIC VENANCE / AFP

British police are investigating after a photograph believed to be of late footballer Emiliano Sala’s body appeared online.

“We are aware that a picture reported to be of Mr Sala’s body has been shared on social media channels and are disgusted that somebody did this,” a police spokesman told the Sunday Mirror.

“It is clearly a very difficult time for Mr Sala’s family and they should not have to endure additional pain.

“We are investigating this incident,” he added.

The image is believed to have been taken at the Holly Tree Lodge mortuary in Bournemouth, Dorset, following the plane crash that killed the 28-year-old striker.

The small plane carrying the player came down in the Channel en route to Cardiff on January 21, two days after he completed his transfer from French side Nantes.

Sala’s father, Horacio, died earlier this week at the age of 58 following a heart attack