The Gambia football team narrowly averted disaster flying to the Africa Cup of Nations as they came ‘within half-an-hour of dying’ after the cabin oxygen supply failed.
The squad and coaching staff were on a flight from the capital city of Banjul heading for the Ivory Coast for the tournament when several players passed out shortly after boarding the plane.
Just nine minutes after take-off, the pilot was forced to return to Banjul Airport for an emergency landing with oxygen supplies on board running low.
The former Manchester United player Saidy Janko said in an Instagram post some on board were left suffering from ‘strong headaches and extreme dizziness’.
Janko, who posted a video of the squad disembarking the plane, slammed his country’s association for the ‘unacceptable’ situation.
The Gambia squad heading to the Africa Cup of Nations narrowly averted disaster after their plane’s oxygen supply failed, forcing them to make an emergency landing
A video posted on Instagram by the former Manchester United player Saidy Janko (not pictured) showed the team leaving the aircraft once it returned to Banjul Airport and catching their breath on the tarmac
The Gambia’s Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet told Nieuwsblad: ‘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.
‘We almost got carbon monoxide poisoning. Another half hour of flying and we would all have been dead.’
Janko, 28, wrote on Instagram: ‘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.
Gambia team coach Tom Saintfiet said he had dreams about how his life was over
Janko, now at Young Boys in Switzerland, said some team-mates were suffering from ‘strong headaches and extreme dizziness’
Janko was at Manchester United during his early career, making one League Cup appearance
Janko called the situation ‘unacceptable’ in an Instagram post after the incident
‘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…
The squad were seen back at Banjul Airport as they awaited another flight
‘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.’
In his interview with Nieuwsblad, coach Saintfiet said the squad must travel to Ivory Coast on Thursday or risk being kicked out the tournament. Their first game is against Senegal on Monday.
‘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,’ he said.
‘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.’
Janko’s video showed a propeller plane with Air Cote d’Ivoire on the side. The flight time to Abidjan is about 2.5 hours.
Gambia will also face Cameroon and Guinea in Group C at the AFCON.
Janko, 28, spent some of his early career at Old Trafford and made one appearance – in the 4-0 League Cup defeat to MK Dons in 2014.
A statement by the Gambian Football Federation 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.
‘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.
‘In this regard, the team, including the players and staff are now on their way to base at the Ocean Bay Hotel as they await further instructions.
‘It is important to note that every member of the delegation is safe and in sound health.’
It came after the Gambia squad refused to train on Tuesday over unpaid bonuses they say are owed to them.
This left fans at the open training session in Bakau disappointed but the matter was eventually resolved.
