Zambian Gabon Disaster Victims Still Deeply Missed

A file photo taken on April 28, 1993 shows the emblem of the national Zambian football team and some belongings of players found by Gabonese divers at sea after a plane carrying the team crashed on April 27 shortly after takeoff from Libreville. Thirty people, including 25 players and officials heading to a World Cup qualifying match, were killed in the crash. When Zambia's national football team players arrive in Libreville on February 9, 2012 they will keep a promise they made before the Africa Cup of Nations began to honor the dead from the 1993 air crash. Zambia will play the African Cup of Nations final on February 12 against Ivory Coast in Libreville. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images)

On the occasion marking the remembrance of the Zambia national team players who died in the 1993 plane crash, Chipolopolo legend Kenneth Malitoli has said Zambia lost a great team in the tragic disaster.

Malitoli has told Bolanews in an interview that the memories of the players who died in the crash are still fresh.

“You cannot forget such, it was a great team full of talent, and I think we could have gone on to achieve great success had that team lived on,” Malitoli said.

This year marks 33 years since the 1993 Gabon air disaster.

The team was travelling to Senegal for a World Cup qualifying match when the military aircraft carrying the team crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after taking off from Libreville, Gabon. All players, coaches, officials, and crew on board were killed.

Every year on April 28, Zambia remembers this day.

Meanwhile, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has revealed that all its provincial offices will hold commemorative activities on April 28, in honour of the victims of the Gabon Air Disaster.

This follows a directive issued by FAZ President Keith Mweemba during the FAZ Eastern Province Annual General Meeting on Wednesday last week which underscored the need for a unified and dignified nationwide remembrance.