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AFCON 2023: Gambia squad makes air return to Banjul
Shortly after their flight for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations took off, the Gambian national football team made a sharp U-turn to Banjul.
The team's departure was reportedly forced to be postponed due to an oxygen shortage on the flight that was transporting the entire Gambian squad to Abidjan, according to Sports Brief.
In Group C of the competition, the Scorpions will take on Senegal, the reigning champions; Cameroon, the five-time champion; and Guinea.
According to a statement released by the Gambia Football Federation on Thursday, the aircraft's operators encountered technical difficulties after nine minutes of flight, resulting in severe headaches and breathing difficulties for certain players and technical team members.
"With regret, the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) notifies the public that technical issues forced the Scorpions' chartered flight to return to Banjul from the Africa Cup of Nations. When the crew realised they had only been on the flight for nine minutes, they requested an immediate return to Banjul. Preliminary investigations upon landing revealed that oxygen and cabin pressure had been lost.
"To determine the reason for the low oxygen and pressure within the cabin, the technical team of Air Côte d'Ivoire, the flight operating company, is currently conducting additional assessments of the situation." The team—players and staff included—is currently travelling to the Ocean Bay Hotel in this regard in order to await further instructions, according to the statement.
Nonetheless, the football federation attested to the safety of the players and technical staff, and preparations have been made for a revised departure time.
This coming weekend, on January 13, the 34th edition of the African Nations Cup will get underway and run through February 11, 2024.