Gambia's national football team experienced a harrowing incident just days before the start of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Shortly before their flight to Ivory Coast, players began to encounter a frightening problem—loss of oxygen.

Nine minutes into the journey from Banjul, the capital of Gambia, en route to AFCON 2023, the plane had to make an emergency landing due to the escalating situation. Despite expectations that the air conditioning would activate upon takeoff, it failed to do so. This, combined with the oxygen shortage, led to severe headaches and even fainting among some players, including Saidy Janko from Young Boys in Switzerland.

Despite the alarming circumstances, the situation didn't escalate further. Fortunately, all the players are well. To avert potentially more severe consequences, they had to undergo a plane change. This incident adds a dramatic chapter to the narrative leading up to the AFCON 2023 tournament.

The AFCON 2023 will take place from January 13th to February 11th and you can follow it ONLY on beIN SPORTS.