The Gambia national football team, known as the Scorpions, narrowly averted a potential tragedy when their flight experienced a severe loss of pressure and oxygen. Coach Tom Saintfiet opened up about the perilous situation, emphasizing the gravity of the incident and the fortunate escape of the entire delegation.
The Scorpions embarked on their journey on Wednesday evening, aiming to reach Ivory Coast, the host nation for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
However, shortly after takeoff, the Air Côte d’Ivoire plane faced a critical situation, leading the pilot to make a swift decision to turn the aircraft around.
The national federation later revealed that the incident could have had fatal consequences due to the loss of pressure and oxygen.
In an interview with Belgian media outlet Het Niewsblad, Coach Tom Saintfiet shared the intensity of the ordeal, expressing the fear that gripped everyone on board.
“We could all have died. We all fell asleep quickly, including me,” revealed the coach. “I had short dreams about how my life was going, really. After nine minutes, the pilot decided to turn around because there was no oxygen supply.
Some players did not wake up immediately after landing. We almost got carbon monoxide poisoning. Another half-hour of flight, and we would all be dead,” explained the Belgian tactician.
Fortunately, the Gambian players appeared unharmed and showed no immediate physical after-effects from the incident.
With the close call behind them, the Scorpions are expected to recover and focus on their upcoming match against the reigning African champions in Group C.
The match, scheduled for next Monday at 2:00 p.m., holds heightened significance as the Gambian national team faces their opponents on the backdrop of a life-threatening incident that united them in a shared sense of relief and gratitude.
