2023 AFCON: The Gambia’s Flight En Route to Cote D’Ivoire Suffers Technical Issue; Returns to Banjul

The chartered flight carrying the Scorpions of The Gambia to the African Cup of Nations has returned to Banjul due to technical problems, the Gambia Football Federation has announced.

According to the GFF, “The flight was nine minutes airborne when the crew realized and immediately requested to return to Banjul. Upon landing, preliminary investigations indicated a 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.”

Cabin pressure is conditioned air pumped into and exhausted out of the cabin of an aircraft to keep the pressure in the cabin between sea level and 8000 feet.

Every member of the delegation, including players and technical staff, is safe, the GFF revealed.

The Scorpions, who are placed in Group C alongside holders Senegal, Cameroon, and Guinea, were due to arrive today at 14:00 GMT in Cote d’Ivoire.