The Gambia football team has reacted with anger after alleging they narrowly escaped death in a scary incident while traveling to the Africa Cup of Nations.
The squad was traveling from Gambia to Ivory Coast for the tournament, which kicks off on Saturday when they experienced problems.
The passengers were forced to sit in stiflingly hot conditions with oxygen supplies running low on the Air Cote d’Ivoire plane. Former Manchester United player Saidy Janko shared a video of the players disembarking and said they were suffering from “strong headaches and extreme dizziness”, with many of them falling unconscious.
“We could all have been dead,” Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet told Nieuwsblad. “We all fell asleep quickly. Me, too. I had short dreams about how my life was done – really and truly.
“After nine minutes the pilot decided to return because there was no oxygen supply. Some players did not wake up [until] immediately after landing. We almost got carbon monoxide poisoning. Another half hour of flying and we would all have been dead.”
“Furthermore, people started falling deeply asleep minutes after entering the aircraft/takeoff. Whilst in the air, the situation got worse, leaving the pilot with no other option than initiating an emergency landing back in Banjul airport nine minutes after takeoff. Which happened successfully.
A statement from the Gambian Football Federation read: “The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) regrets to inform the general public that the Chartered Flight carrying the Scorpions to the African Cup of Nations has returned to Banjul due to technical problems. The flight was nine minutes airborne when the crew realized and immediately requested to return to Banjul.
“Upon landing, preliminary investigations indicated that there was loss of cabin pressure and oxygen. However, the technical team of the operating company of the flight, Air Cote d’Ivoire is further assessing the situation to establish what caused the lack of oxygen and cabin pressure.
How the Team Is Coping
The coach, Saintfiet, said he was proud of his players for their resilience and courage. He said they were not afraid of any opponent and were ready to fight for their country.
“We have a strong team spirit and a positive attitude. We have overcome many challenges and obstacles to qualify for the AFCON. This incident will not stop us from achieving our goals. We are here to make history and to show the world what we can do,” he said.
The players also expressed their confidence and optimism. Janko, who plays for FC Porto in Portugal, said he was excited to represent his nation at the continental tournament.
Source: The Herald
