Crash of the Buffalo

The Tragedy that Killed a Football Team and Rocked the World

Athletes had perished in air disasters before, but on 27 April 1993, Zambia became the first country to lose its national team in a plane crash. Remarkably, Zambian football would rebound from this horrific event to come within one goal of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup in the US, and later reach the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations Final.

‘An epic tale of tragedy and resilience in a far, far-away land. An amazing book to read. There is no other sports story like it.’ – Leigh Montville, author and former writer for The Boston Globe and Sports Illustrated.

The definitive account of one of the saddest chapters in sports history: the 1993 plane crash that killed Zambia's national soccer team, and the inspiring story of the nation’s remarkable comeback. The book details the tragedy, its aftermath and the incredible resilience and determination of a nation to rebuild and honour the memories of its fallen heroes, including:

• How Zambia was on the cusp of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup in the US before the tragedy
• How rebuilt Zambia defeated Morocco in its first game ten weeks after the crash, before storming into the final of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations 11 months later
• In-depth research and interviews with key figures on Zambia’s rise as an African footballing power before the horrific plane crash that claimed the lives of most of its top players of that generation
• Insightful interviews with sources that spent time with the team in its final hours and minutes – including the one person to board the doomed plane with the players and disembark before take-off
• How, before it crashed, the DHC-5D Buffalo military plane carrying Zambia’s national team had been parked for four months at an air force base with ‘AOG’ status (i.e. with a serious technical fault)
• The lack of accountability: more than 30 years on, no official report on the crash has been released by Zambia – according to former Zambian president Rupiah Banda, none was written or exists

Meticulously researched, gripping and emotive, this book is a must-read for football and sports fans everywhere.

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