Gambia footballer on board: Air Côte d'Ivoire's Dash 8-400 suffers depressurization

On January 10, 2024, the Gambia national soccer team wanted to fly to Abidjan with a chartered de Havilland Dash 8-400 to take part in a tournament there. However, the trip didn't go according to plan at all.

The affected aircraft was operated by Air Côte d'Ivoire. The football players are said to have complained about the intense heat when boarding. After takeoff, a pressure problem occurred, which led to the captain deciding to land back in Banjul. The athletes are also said to have complained about headaches and dizziness.

The entire trip must have been a real odyssey, as the players were initially picked up in Saudi Arabia. With stops in Istanbul and Casablanca, we then went to Banjul and from there to the state of Ivory Coast. It took around 32 hours to get to Gambia alone, as long stopovers were necessary for unspecified reasons.