By The Gambia squad travelling to Ivory Coast for the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations “could have died” during a flight that was aborted, coach Tom Saintfiet claimed.
The Air Cote d’Ivoire flight turned around just minutes after leaving the Gambian capital Banjul on Wednesday.Saintfiet believes there was a lack of oxygen, saying conditions prompted many of the delegation to fall asleep.The coach praised quick thinking by the pilot for keeping his team safe.Officials from the airline confirmed there had been a pressurisation issue.Saintfiet told BBC Sport Africa: “The local crew said there was a problem with the air conditioning before we took off but that it would be all fine when we took off.
Former Manchester United man Saidy Janko, who was among the players on board the aircraft, revealed the incident on Instagram.
He posted a video of the Gambia team players getting off the plane and captioned it:
“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.”
Janko, who now plays for Swiss club BSC Young Boys, 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.”
Credit: soccer24.co.zw
