The plane carrying the Gambia national team players en route to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast had a narrow escape as it made a sudden U-turn to Banjul shortly after takeoff.
The flight, chartered to convey the squad, faced a critical delay due to a loss of oxygen, MUK TV has learned.
A statement from the Gambia Football Federation on Thursday disclosed, saying, “The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) regrets to inform the general public that the chartered flight carrying the Scorpions to the Africa Cup of Nations returned to Banjul due to technical problems.
“The flight was nine minutes long when the crew realised this and immediately requested a return to Banjul. Upon landing, preliminary investigations indicated that there had been a loss of cabin pressure and oxygen.”
With the flight lasting only nine minutes, the crew swiftly responded, requesting a return to Banjul.
A new departure time has been arranged for the players and officials, averting potential tragedy.
The Scorpions find themselves in Group C alongside defending champions Senegal, five-time champions Cameroon, and Guinea.
