Thursday, January 11, 2024 – The Gambian national team came within minutes of dying after the oxygen supply failed on their plane.
The squad were flying from their capital city of Banjul to
the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast when the serious issue occurred.
Several players passed out on the plane, before the pilot
was forced to return to Banjul Airport for an emergency landing just nine
minutes after take-off.
Former Manchester United player Saidy Janko was among the
players on board the aircraft and shared a video on Instagram of the players
getting off the plane, alongside the caption:
"Unacceptable. After travelling 32 hours in total from
Saudi Arabia (Training Camp) to The Gambia with long layovers in Istanbul and
Casablanca, we were supposed to fly from Gambia to Ivory Coast for the AFCON
today.
"As soon as we entered the small plane that was hired
to fly us, we noticed the immense heat that left us dripping in sweat.
"It was assured to us by the crew that the air
conditioning would start once we are in the sky.
"The inhumane heat mixed with the occurring lack of
oxygen left many people with strong headaches and extreme dizziness.
"Furthermore, people started falling deeply asleep
minutes after entering the aircraft/takeoff."
The 28-year-old, who played one game for Man Utd in 2014 in
a 4-0 League Cup defeat to MK Dons, added: "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.
"If it wasn't for this, the consequences could have
been a lot worse!!! Knowing what could have happened, if we would have been
exposed to the situation for any longer - in an airplane, running out of
oxygen…
"We are grateful that everyone is feeling well but this
is a situation that has to be addressed going into the AFCON, as being only one
of our obstacles on international duty.
"This is unacceptable and [as] such has to cease with
immediate effect."
Gambia's manager Tom Saintfiet spoke to Nieuwsblad about the
harrowing ordeal, explaining: "We could all have been dead.
"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."
The Gambian team are now seeking a way of travelling to
Ivory Coast on Thursday ahead of their opening Africa Cup of Nations match
against Senegal on Monday.
But manager Saintfiet insists he is not willing to risk his
life to complete the two-and-a-half-hour flight to the tournament.
He said: "We are now in Gambia and no longer want to
fly with such an aircraft. That was about the smallest they could find,
perhaps, with propellers, for 50 people.
"As if the only thing mattered was that it flew. There
are limits, I am willing to die on the football field, I am not willing to die
for my job off the field."
The Gambian Football Federation released a statement which
read: "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
realised and immediately requested to return to Banjul."
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