Officials have launched a search for Eritrea's national football team after the players reportedly failed to return home following a tournament in Kenya.

厄立特里亚官员发动了一项对国家足球队的搜索行动，据悉该队球员在肯尼亚一场锦标赛之后没有返乡。

Eritrea were knocked out by Tanzania last week

The Eritreans were knocked out of the Cecafa competition for East and Central African nations last week.

But when the team plane landed back home, it was reportedly only carrying the coach and an official.

The government, which is frequently accused of repression抑制，镇压, denies any players are missing.

But the country's football federation² confirmed to Cecafa head Nicholas Musonye that the players had not returned.

Mr Musonye told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme it was the third time the Eritrean team had failed to return home after a tournament比赛，联赛.

"The Eritrean federation have done their best to bring a team to the competition - unfortunately these boys had other ideas," he said.

"Definitely they are in Nairobi - we have so many Eritreans here - they must be somewhere."

He said he would establish the facts and hand the details on to the police.

The UN says hundreds of Eritreans flee the country every month.

Critics say the country's repressive government, poverty and a harsh national service regime政体 forces many to leave.

But the government denies that Eritreans are fleeing and accuses the UN of lying about the figures.