The Gambia national football team was compelled to make an abrupt return home due to an oxygen shortage on their flight.
The team was en route to the Africa Cup of Nations when the unforeseen crisis struck, necessitating an emergency landing at Banjul Airport, a mere nine minutes post takeoff.
The team, accompanied by their coaching staff, were aboard a modest private plane, a 50-seater propeller aircraft registered to Air Cote d’Ivoire, charting a course from Banjul to the Ivory Coast. The flight had been arranged by the Gambian football association.
Gambia’s manager, Tom Saintfiet, painted a grim picture of the ordeal, stating that the team was “within half an hour of dying.” The intense heat and dwindling oxygen supply reportedly led to several players losing consciousness, while others grappled with “strong headaches and extreme dizziness.”
Saidy Janko, a former Manchester United youth prospect currently playing for the Swiss side Young Boys, took to Instagram to voice his criticism of the Gambia’s national association for the “unacceptable” situation.
He provided a detailed account of the ordeal, describing the unbearable heat and oxygen scarcity that culminated in the emergency landing.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with the Gambia coach warning that another half hour of flying could have resulted in a catastrophic outcome. The team is now faced with the daunting task of attempting the journey to the Ivory Coast once again or risking disqualification from the tournament.