Alfakilo 03 wrote:Very nice and very interesting information of this very special happening.
What a petty that the moderator doesn't like it! ((
The moderator does like it, he merely asks to stick to facts relating to the event and refrain from adding opinions and adding comparisons that are not related.
Otherwise he would have to split the topic into two separate ones.
The Libyan government has formally requested the return of two Mirage F1 fighter jets flown to Malta by defecting pilots on Monday.
The aircraft are under armed guard at the airport. The pilots have requested political asylum and their case is being considered. The pilots claimed they flew to Malta after being ordered to bomb fellow Libyans in Benghazi.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said there has been no contact with the Libyan government on the fighter aircraft.
Hmm, strange, A Libyan Government Falcon just filed a flightplan to Mitiga:
FMC the Netherlands
@FMCNL FMC the Netherlands
BREAKING: Libyan Govt Falcon DA-900 flight tail nr 5A-DCN will depart Minsk UUMS at 17:00 UTC for Mitiga HLLM
Twitter is down...., but the Gulfstream IV 5A-DCN prob just landed somewhere in Libya, Mitiga seems unlikely,still searching, heard him working with Hungarian ACC and later Malta ACC
This was probably Ascot5584. It requested Fire Services to be standby by upon landing. The landing followed without any problem. Tower mentioned that fire trucks were following the aircraft, upon which Ascot5584 responded that this was not necessary.
According to Reuters, a Libyan aircraft has been shot down whilst attacking a radio station in Misrata. Its crew has been captured by anti-Gadaffi forces.
Libyan plane brought pilots to Malta to return jets
Sun Feb 27, 2011 7:57pm GMT
VALLETTA Feb 27 (Reuters) -
A Libyan Arab Airlines plane refused permission to land in Malta this week was carrying pilots to fly back to Libya two fighter jets flown to the island by defecting pilots, Malta's premier said on Sunday.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told a press conference that Malta had rejected a Libyan government request to return the Mirage fighter jets, flown to Malta last Monday.
They remain under armed guard at Malta airport.
The pilots, both colonels, told authorities in Malta they and been ordered to bomb demonstrators protesting against the 41-year rule of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
They have sought political asylum and their request is under consideration, Maltese officials said.
(Reporting by Chris Scicluna in Malta, Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton)