Air Côte d’Ivoire De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 carrying Gambian national football team to AFCON safely returns to Banjul Airport

An Air Côte d’Ivoire De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 (with unknown registration) that was chartered to bring the Gambian national football team from Banjul, Gambia to Abidjan, Ivory Coast to play in the AFCON (Africa Cup of Nations) as from 15 January returned to Banjul shortly after departure, the incident occurred on 10 January.

After travelling 32 hours from Saudi Arabia with long layovers in Istanbul and Casablanca, the team was supposed to fly from Gambia to the Ivory Coast.

During boarding, the team already had to suffer from the extensive heat inside the little aircraft, which is known for not providing enough cooling (air conditioning) on the ground.

The crew assured that the air conditioning would function once airborne. According to a player, many players/staff suffered strong headaches and extreme dizziness while people started falling asleep.

After take-off, the situation got worse. A pressurisation problem forced the crew to return to Banjul where the aircraft safely landed, nine minutes after initial take-off.

Head coach – and Belgian – Tom Saintfiet told the press that they escaped from a certain death as some of his players fell into a deep sleep. “If we had flown another half hour, we would all have died on the plane from CO poisoning,” he added. (editor’s note: this response seems exaggerated to us)

A picture from the aircraft, shortly after landing, appeared on social media. Note the “Brandweer Willebroek” firefighter outfit.

Gambian football player Saidy Janko raised his concern and wrote the story on social media: “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 condition would start once we were 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.

If it wasn’t for this, the consequences could have been a lot worse !!!.. knowing what could have happened, if we had 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 such has to cease with immediate effect.”