Argentine Footballer Lucas Trejo's Wife, Two Children Killed in Devastating Venezuela Earthquakes
Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo's wife, Yanina Maranella, and their children, Aaron (5) and Ainhoa (7), have been confirmed dead after the powerful twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026. The family's apartment building in Playa Grande, La Guaira, collapsed during the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude tremors, which have claimed over 1,450 lives.
The football world is mourning alongside Argentine defender Lucas Trejo after it was confirmed that his wife, Yanina Maranella, and their two children, seven-year-old Ainhoa and five-year-old Aaron, tragically lost their lives in the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela this week. The bodies were recovered on Saturday, June 27, 2026, after an intense 74-hour search operation in the rubble of their collapsed apartment building in Playa Grande, La Guaira. Twins Matilde and Maria Neiva Go Viral After Reacting to Cristiano Ronaldo's Missed Bicycle Kick at FIFA World Cup 2026 (Watch Video).
The catastrophic seismic event, which has claimed over 1,450 lives and left thousands injured and missing across the nation, saw two powerful tremors of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 hit the country's Yaracuy region on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. The 7.5 magnitude quake was reportedly the strongest recorded in Venezuela since 1900.
A Nation in Mourning
Lucas Trejo, the 38-year-old defender for Venezuelan Segunda División club Sport Marítimo de La Guaira, was in Caracas with his team preparing for a Copa Venezuela fixture when the disaster unfolded. Upon learning of the collapse of his family's residential building, Trejo rushed to the disaster zone, desperately joining search efforts and making a public appeal on social media for any information regarding his loved ones.
His appeal on Instagram read: "Our building in Playa Grande collapsed. I don't know anything about my family. Please pray for them and share this message in case someone saw them. I want to believe they weren't there."
The heartbreaking news of their deaths was confirmed by clubs associated with Trejo, including Deportivo La Guaira and Marítimo de La Guaira, on Sunday, June 28, 2026. In a statement, Deportivo La Guaira expressed their condolences: "From the #DLG we join the grief that overwhelms player Lucas Trejo, for the sensitive passing of his wife, Yanina Maranella, and of his children, Aaron and Ainhoa Trejo. Peace to their souls and comfort for Lucas and all his loved ones."
The widespread destruction has prompted an outpouring of support from across the South American football community and beyond. Fellow footballer Edson Tortolero, who reportedly joined rescue efforts, also confirmed the tragic news and extended gratitude to all involved in the search. The sheer scale of the disaster is underscored by the United Nations migration agency's estimate that as many as 6.76 million people may have been affected.
This unimaginable loss for Lucas Trejo highlights the profound human cost of the seismic catastrophe that has struck Venezuela, leaving countless families shattered and the nation reeling.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 29, 2026 05:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
