Gambia’s soccer team makes emergency landing after plane loses oxygen flying to tournament

By ABDOULIE JOHN
Associated Press

SERREKUNDA, Gambia (AP) — A plane carrying Gambia’s national soccer team made an emergency landing after a sudden loss of oxygen during their flight to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations tournament. Gambia’s Football Federation says a chartered flight Wednesday carrying the team returned to Gambia’s capital Banjul after being airborne for nine minutes when the crew realized there were technical problems. The operating company for the flight, Air Cote d’Ivoire, is further assessing the situation to establish what caused the lack of oxygen and cabin pressure. The players were on their way to compete in the Africa Cup in Ivory Coast, which begins Saturday.