| Malta Hands Over Mirage Jets Back to Libya 21/02/2012 14:42:00 | ||
| The two pilots and the Mirage jets they took to Malta at the handover ceremony TuesdayMalta Tuesday officially handed over to Libya the two Mirage jets that two Libyan pilots landed in Malta exactly a year ago, on February 21, 2011, four days after the beginning of the uprising when they defected to the neighbourly island after refusing the Gaddafi regime’s orders to bomb Libyan civilians in the first days of the uprising that eventually ousted the former Libyan ruler from power after 42 years of dictatorship.The handover ceremony at the Armed Forces of malta’s Airwing, and presided over by Malta’s prime minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi, was marked by the presentation of the two helmets to the pilots by Maltese PM in the presence of Libyan Health Minister Fatma Hamroush, outgoing Libyan Ambassador to Malta Saadun Suayeh, the AFM Commander and the General Commander of the Libyan Armed Forces.Gonzi said the handover closed a chapter in an experience that saw the Libyan people rise up to claim their liberty and freedom, overthrowing the Gaddafi regime during a civil conflict that lasted eight months.He went on to say that Tuesday was the beginning of a new chapter, symbolised by the return of the planes. He said the Maltese government denounced the Gaddafi regime in the early days of the Libyan uprising.He said that four days after the uprising Malta woke up to the news that two jets had landed on the island, and that it was on the side of the Libyan people from the outset.Gonzi said the handover of the jets celebrated the courage of the two pilots who defected from the Gaddafi regime andon the island and saluted the heroes who led to a free Libya.”We also celebrate the values we share with each other – we both respect human dignity, we want to allow each person the freedom of speech and freedom of coming together, and we share the value of good neighbours, not only geographically, but also human values,” he said.The inclement weather in Malta and in Libya delayed the return of the jets to Libya.Two pilots from the Libyan Air Force unexpectedly flew their 1970s French built Dassault Mirage F1 aircraft the short distant of 360 km to Malta International Airport (MLA) on Monday, February 21, 2011, and asked for political asylum, rather than follow orders and bomb their fellow citizens in the city of Benghazi, where they were protesting the 40 year autocratic reign of Muammar al-Gaddafi.At the time, the two Mirage F1 jets touched down in Malta after the pilots said they urgently needed to refuel and sought emergency clearance to land. The pilots, both Air Force colonels, said that after taking off from Okba Ben Nafi base, they flew low through Libyan air space to avoid radar detection. | ||
Malta Hands Over Mirage Jets Back to Libya
Abdullah Al Asadi is a Libyan journalist and writer at TripoliPost, covering politics, society, and culture across Libya and the wider region. With a passion for independent storytelling and a commitment to accuracy, he brings readers in-depth reporting and thoughtful analysis on the issues shaping his country. He can be reached at abdullah.asadi@tripolipost.com
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