1993 Zambia national football team plane crash

The flight had been specially arranged by the Zambian Air Force for the football team. The journey was scheduled to make three refuelling stops; the first at Brazzaville, Congo, the second at Libreville, Gabon, and the third at Abidjan, Ivory Coast.{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19930427-2|title=ASN Aircraft accident de Havilland Canada DHC-5D Buffalo AF-319 Atlantic Ocean, off Gabon|work=Aviation Safety Network|publisher=Flight Safety Foundation|access-date=19 December 2010}}

File:Gabon Air Disaster.svg

At the first stop in Brazzaville engine problems were noted. Despite this, the flight continued and a few minutes after taking off from the second stop in Libreville the left engine caught fire and failed. The pilot, who had also flown the team from a match in Mauritius the previous day, then mistakenly shut down the right engine, causing the plane to lose all power during the climb out of Libreville Airport and fall into the water {{convert|500|m|ft yd|abbr=out}} offshore. A Gabonese report released in 2003 attributed the pilot's actions to a faulty warning light and fatigue.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3247006.stm|title='Faulty plane' killed Zambia team|date=28 November 2003|work=BBC News|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=17 December 2010}}{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1138563/1/index.htm|title=Triumph On Sacred Ground|last=Montville|first=Leigh|date=18 October 1993|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=17 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427000000/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1138563/1/index.htm|archive-date=27 April 2018|publisher=Time Inc.}} [https://www.si.com/vault/1993/10/18/129564/triumph-on-sacred-ground-after-the-zambian-soccer-team-perished-in-a-plane-crash-a-new-team-rose-to-bring-hope-to-a-troubled-nation Alt URL]

The aircraft entered service in 1975. The plane had been out of service for five months from late 1992 until 21 April 1993. Test flights were carried out on 22 and 26 April. Prior to the departure for Senegal, checks revealed defects in the engine: carbon particles in oil filters, disconnected cables and trace of heating. However, the flight went ahead as scheduled.

The Chipolopolo were a very promising Zambia national team. At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, their 4–0 victory over Italy included a hat-trick from Kalusha Bwalya, who won the African Footballer of the Year later that year. They had their eyes on the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations trophy, having finished third in the 1990 edition, and a place at their first World Cup.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2012-02-12|title=Zambia's remarkable journey makes them winners regardless|url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/zambias-remarkable-journey-makes-them-winners-regardless|access-date=|website=fourfourtwo.com|language=en}}

All 30 passengers and crew, including 18 players, as well as the national team coach and support staff, died in the accident.

Three players of the "Chipolopolo" were playing with UEFA clubs, and each made separate travel plans from their clubs in Europe to Senegal. Captain Kalusha Bwalya— later national team coach and president of the FAZ — was playing for PSV Eindhoven. Charles Musonda, a player for Anderlecht, was previously injured, staying in Belgium for rehabilitation at the time.{{cite news|url=http://www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=17&id=1272608302|title=Soccer heroes remembered|date=28 April 2010|work=Times of Zambia|publisher=Times Printpak Limited|access-date=17 December 2010|location=Ndola, Zambia}}{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Johnson Bwalya played for FC Bulle, and would have traveled from Switzerland.{{Cite news |last=Turner |first=Graham |date=1993-04-28 |title=La selección de fútbol de Zambia muere en un accidente aéreo |trans-title=Zambian football team dies in plane crash |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1993/04/29/deportes/736034405_850215.html |access-date=2021-09-21 |work=El País |language=es |issn=1134-6582}} Bennett Mulwanda Simfukwe, who had been seconded to the FAZ by his employers (ZCCM) for 5 years and was supposed to be on this flight, wasn't on it because his employers demanded that he should immediately be removed from the list of those who were officially scheduled to travel to Senegal. Andrew Tembo and Martin Mumba almost boarded the flight, however they were asked not to board at the last minute.{{cite news |date=14 August 2024 |title=The air crash and the underdogs - a triumph for a lost generation |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/czrgm6grxvlo |access-date=17 August 2024 |work=BBC News}}

A campaign to have the Gabonese crash investigation publicly released continued into the 2000s.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/1956551.stm|title=Air crash families threaten legal action|last=Gondwe|first=Kennedy|date=28 April 2002|work=BBC Sport Online|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=17 December 2010}}{{Cite news|date=2002-03-28|title=Zambian MPs demand air crash report|language=en-GB|work=BBC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/1899139.stm|access-date=2021-09-20}} In November 2003 a preliminary crash investigation report was released by the Gabonese government, which claimed that the left engine had caught on fire, and in an attempt to control the fire the pilot thought he had shut down that engine, when in reality he shut down the right engine due to a faulty light. Despite this relatives of the victims continue to lobby the Zambian government to produce a report on how the aircraft was allowed to leave Zambia, and why the players were transported on a military plane.{{cite news|url=http://www.znbc.co.zm/media/news/viewnews.cgi?category=5&id=1209391449|title=Gabon crash victims remembered|access-date=17 December 2010|url-status=dead|publisher=Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727235646/http://www.znbc.co.zm/media/news/viewnews.cgi?category=5&id=1209391449|archive-date=27 July 2011}}{{cite news|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2010/01/23/1757347/football-united-zambia-making-new-history-after-tragic-past|title=Football United: Zambia Making New History After Tragic Past|last=Duerden|first=John|date=23 January 2010|publisher=Goal.com|access-date=17 December 2010}}{{cite news|url=http://www.southerntimesafrica.com/article.php?title=Zambian_plane_disaster_report_still_not_out_17_years_later&id=4035|title=Zambian plane disaster report still not out 17 years later|last=Kapembwa|first=Jeff|date=30 April 2010|work=Southern Times|access-date=17 December 2010|url-status=dead|publisher=NAMZIM Newspapers (Pty) Limited|location=Windhoek, Namibia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716112845/http://www.southerntimesafrica.com/article.php?title=Zambian_plane_disaster_report_still_not_out_17_years_later&id=4035|archive-date=16 July 2011}}{{cite news|url=http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/media/news/viewnews.cgi?category=24&id=1272526106|title=Red tape delays Gabon report|last=Kunda|first=Robinson|date=27 April 2010|work=Zambia Daily Mail|access-date=19 December 2010}}{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In May 2002, $4 million was given to families of the deceased players in compensation.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/1984849.stm|title=$4m for Zambian air crash families|date=13 May 2002|work=BBC Sport Online|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=17 December 2010}}

The members of the national team killed in the crash were buried in what became known as "Heroes' Acre", just outside the Independence Stadium in Lusaka.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/2974099.stm|title=The day a nation cried|date=24 April 2003|work=BBC Sport Online|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=19 December 2010}}

A new side was quickly assembled, and led by Kalusha Bwalya, faced up to the difficult task of having to complete Zambia's World Cup qualifiers (narrowly missing qualification by finishing one point behind Morocco) and then prepare for the upcoming African Nations Cup which was only months away to be hosted in Tunisia.

The resurrected team defied the odds, and displaying an attacking playing style, reached the 1994 African Cup of Nations final against Nigeria. They took the lead in the first half, but the Super Eagles quickly equalised and followed up with the winner in the second half. In spite of the loss, the Zambian side returned home as national heroes.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8477655.stm|title=Zambia's Kalusha Bwalya relives 1994 Nations Cup final|last=Mungazi|first=Farayi|date=24 January 2010|work=BBC Sport Online|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=22 December 2010}}

In 2012, Zambia won the Africa Cup of Nations in Libreville, only a few hundred metres inland from the crash site; the victory was dedicated to the ones who lost their lives in the tragedy. Zambia beat Côte d'Ivoire 8–7 in a penalty shoot out after the game ended 0–0 after normal and added time.{{Cite web |last=Losnegård |first=Aleksander |date=2016-07-28 |title=How Zambia restored their fortunes a year after the fatal plane crash of 1993 |url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2016/07/28/how-zambia-nearly-restored-their-fortunes-a-year-after-the-fatal-plane-crash-of-1993/ |access-date=2021-09-20 |website=These Football Times}}{{Cite web|date=27 April 2018|title=Tragedy spurs fairytale story for Zambia|url=https://www.fifa.com/news/tragedy-spurs-fairytale-story-for-zambia-2064751|access-date=2021-09-21|website=FIFA.com|language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Djazmi|first=Mani|date=10 February 2012|title=Zambian footballers remember a lost generation of players|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/16991481|access-date=2021-09-21}}

The accident was the subject of the 2015 Spanish/Zambian documentary film Eighteam, directed by Juan Rodriguez-Briso.

All thirty people on board died in the crash. 24 bodies were recovered, but only 13 could be identified.{{cite news | url=http://www.lusakatimes.com/2012/04/27/today-marks-19th-anniversary-gabon-air-disaster/ | title=Today marks 19th Anniversary of Gabon Air disaster | newspaper=Lusaka Times | date=27 April 2012 | access-date=25 April 2013}}

{{Col-start}}

{{Col-2}}

• Colonel Fenton Mhone (pilot)
• Lt Colonel Victor Mubanga (pilot)
• Lt Colonel James Sachika (pilot)
• Major Edward Nhamboteh (flight engineer)
• Corporal Thomas Sakala

{{Col-2}}

• Godfrey "Ucar" Chitalu (coach)
• Alex Chola (assistant coach)

{{Col-end}}

Source:{{cite web |last1=Sang |first1=Kiplagat |title=FAZ's Kamanga: Zambia can honour 1993 Gabon plane crash victims at Afcon 2023 |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/faz-s-kamanga-zambia-can-honour-1993-gabon-plane-crash-victims-at-afcon-2023/blt070cade6c23f01cd |website=goal.com |access-date=14 December 2023 |date=28 April 2022}}

{{nat fs g start}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=GK|name=David Chabala|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1960|2|2|df=yes}}|caps=115|goals=0|club=Mufulira Wanderers|clubnat=ZAM|natvar=1964}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=GK|name=Richard Mwanza|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1959|5|5|df=yes}}|caps=8|goals=0|club=Kabwe Warriors|clubnat=ZAM|natvar=1964}}

{{nat fs break}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=DF|name=Whiteson Changwe|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1964|10|19|df=yes}}|caps=31|goals=1|club=Kabwe Warriors|clubnat=ZAM|natvar=1964}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=DF|name=John Soko|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1968|5|5|df=yes}}|caps=25|goals=0|club=Nkana|clubnat=ZAM|natvar=1964}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=DF|name=Samuel Chomba|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1964|1|5|df=yes}}|caps=21|goals=2|club=Dynamos|clubnat=RSA|natvar=1982}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=DF|name=Robert Watiyakeni|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1969|10|18|df=yes}}|caps=4|goals=0|club=Dynamos|clubnat=RSA|natvar=1982}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=DF|name=Winter Mumba|age=unknown|caps=2|goals=0|club=Power Dynamos|clubnat=ZAM|natvar=1964}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=DF|name=Kenan Simambe|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1974|8|23|df=yes}}|caps=1|goals=1|club=Power Dynamos|clubnat=ZAM|natvar=1964}}

{{nat fs break}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=MF|name=Derby Makinka|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1965|9|5|df=yes}}|caps=98|goals=10|club=Al-Ettifaq|clubnat=KSA}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=MF|name=Wisdom Mumba Chansa|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1964|4|17|df=yes}}|caps=34|goals=4|club=Dynamos|clubnat=RSA|natvar=1982}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=MF|name=Eston Mulenga|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1961|8|7|df=yes}}|caps=34|goals=1|club=Nkana|clubnat=ZAM|natvar=1964}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=MF|name=Moses Chikwalakwala|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1969|8|28|df=yes}}|caps=7|goals=3|club=Nkana|clubnat=ZAM|natvar=1964}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=MF|name=Numba Mwila|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1972|3|18|df=yes}}|caps=4|goals=1|club=Nkana|clubnat=ZAM|natvar=1964}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=MF|name=Godfrey Kangwa|age=unknown|caps=1|goals=0|club=Olympique de Casablanca|clubnat=MAR}}

{{nat fs break}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=FW|name=Timothy Mwitwa|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1968|5|21|df=yes}}|caps=16|goals=2|club=Nkana|clubnat=ZAM|natvar=1964}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=FW|name=Kelvin Mutale|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1969|9|20|df=yes}}|caps=10|goals=12|club=Al-Ettifaq|clubnat=KSA}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=FW|name=Patrick Banda|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1974|1|28|df=yes}}|caps=6|goals=3|club=Profund Warriors|clubnat=ZAM|natvar=1964}}

{{nat fs g player|no=|pos=FW|name=Moses Masuwa|age={{Birth date and age2|1993|4|27|1971|7|30|df=yes}}|caps=1|goals=0|club=Kabwe Warriors|clubnat=ZAM|natvar=1964}}

{{nat fs end}}

• List of accidents involving sports teams

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Portal bar|Zambia|Association football|Aviation|1990s}}

• [https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A17090697 BBC – Famous Air Crash Victims – Part 3: Sportsmen]
• {{ASN accident|id=19930427-2}}

{{1993 Zambia national football team air disaster}}

{{Football in Zambia}}

{{Zambia national football team}}

{{1994 FIFA World Cup qualification}}

{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 1993}}

{{In-flight fires}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zambia national football team air disaster}}

Category:1993 in Gabon

Category:1993 in Zambia

Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving professional sports teams

Zambia national football team air disaster

Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in Gabon

Category:Accidents and incidents involving the de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo

Category:Accidents and incidents involving military aircraft

Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by in-flight fires

Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by wrong engine shutdown

Category:Accidental deaths in Gabon

Category:1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)

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Category:1993–94 in Zambian football

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Category:20th century in Libreville

Category:1993 in Gabonese sport