The terrorist attack on the Togo team bus which claimed three lives could have been avoided if Togo had travelled to Angola by plane rather than by bus, according to the African Nations Cup organising committee.

Togo were travelling to Angola prior to the start of the competition when they were shot at with machine guns in the Cabinda region of the country.

Three people died in the January 8 incident - the bus driver, an assistant coach and a press officer - while goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale had to be flown to South Africa for emergency treatment after sustaining gunshot wounds in the lower back and abdomen.

A spokesman for the Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg said Obilale is recovering well.

Justino Fernandes, general director of the organising committee (COCAN), claimed today they were unaware Togo would be travelling by road.

He said on the committee's official website, www.can-angola2010.com: "The teams should travel by plane.

"Togo did their training camp in Congo and from there, under their decision, travelled to Cabinda by bus.

"Both the Confederation (of African Football) and the Organising Committee in Luanda were not aware of the situation.

"If we'd been informed, we'd certainly provide them an aeroplane, from Ponta Negra, Congo, to the province of Cabinda. We had no idea that Togo would be travelling by road from Congo to Cabinda."

Togo pulled out of the tournament and returned home after the attack.