The Gambia football team encountered a harrowing mid-air ordeal on their journey to the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast when the plane experienced an oxygen shortage, forcing a terrifying emergency landing. The incident unfolded just nine minutes into the flight, causing players to pass out due to a lack of oxygen.
Coach Saintfiet likened the experience to a horror movie, stating, “We all fell asleep quickly, even me. I had flashbacks of my life ending. The pilot realised what was happening and made an emergency landing back in Gambia. Thank goodness!”
“The pilot decided to return because there was no oxygen supply. Some players did not wake up until immediately after landing,” he explained, highlighting the severity of the situation. “We almost got carbon monoxide poisoning. Another half hour of flying and we would all have been dead.”
Player Saidy Janko detailed the unbearable conditions on board, describing it as “super hot and stuffy,” with everyone experiencing headaches and dizziness. Fortunately, the pilot’s swift decision to turn back prevented a more disastrous outcome.
Despite the safe landing, the incident had a lasting impact on the players. Janko expressed his dissatisfaction, deeming the situation “unacceptable” and demanding that such occurrences never happen again, especially for players representing their country in a major tournament.
The Gambian Football Federation is conducting an investigation into the incident to determine how the plane could lose oxygen so rapidly. Meanwhile, the Gambian football team remains grounded in Gambia, with their African Cup of Nations aspirations temporarily on hold due to this mid-air nightmare.
Preliminary investigations upon landing indicated a loss of cabin pressure and oxygen. The technical team of the flight’s operating company, Air Cote d’Ivoire, is further evaluating the situation to identify the root cause of the oxygen shortage and cabin pressure loss.
As a precaution, the team, including players and staff, is heading to their base at the Ocean Bay Hotel while awaiting further instructions.
