The Gambia Football Team on the plane (Image: Gambia Football Federation)

Ex-Celtic star and Gambia squad 'could have all died' after plane oxygen failed en route to AFCON

Saidy Janko and his teammates narrowly escaped death in the scary incident while travelling to the Africa Cup of Nations.

by · Daily Record

A plane carrying a former Celtic player and the Gambia football team was forced to make an emergency landing after oxygen failed on-board.

Saidy Janko and his teammates narrowly escaped death in the scary incident while travelling to the Africa Cup of Nations.

The squad were travelling from Gambia to Ivory Coast for the tournament, which kicks off on Saturday, when they experienced problems. They were just nine minutes into their flight from Banjul when the pilot of their charter plane was forced to turn around and make an emergency landing.

The passengers were forced to sit in hot conditions with oxygen supplies running low on the Air Cote d’Ivoire plane.

Janko, who played for Celtic between 2017 and 2019 after signing from Manchester United, shared a video of the players disembarking and said they were suffering from “strong headaches and extreme dizziness”, with many of them falling unconscious.

“We could all have been dead,” Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet told Nieuwsblad. “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.”

The flight from Banjul, in Gambia, to Abidjan in Ivory Coast is around two and a half hours. The team now have to find an alternative route on Thursday, or risk being kicked out of AFCON. They are due to face Senegal in their first Group C match on Monday.

Alongside his video Janko, who started his career at Manchester United, wrote: “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.

Saidy Janko playing for Celtic (Image: Daily Record)

“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. 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.

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“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.”

A statement from the Gambian Football Federation read: “The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) regrets to inform the general public that 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.

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“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. The public will be kept informed with regard any development on the matter. We apologise for any inconveniency that this may have caused as we seek to find a quick solution for the team to travel to Ivory Coast as soon as possible.”

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