Today we’ve tracked an unusual mission made by an Italian Air Force ATR P-72A.
The aircraft (reg. MM62281 – callsign IAM4101) after a first part of (usual) mission done off southern Sicilian coast and over the Strait of Sicily continued its flight southbound. Arrived at limits of Libyan airspace (and territorial waters) the ATR orbiting off Misrata (13:30 – 14:30 CET) before to return to Sigonella (landed around 16:30) .
It’s the first time that we tracked a similar mission so close to the Libyan coast. The only ship in the area was a the Turkish cargo “Kosovak”departed from Khoms but it was underway north of the area of the orbiting.
We dont’ know if in the area there are also military ship (but usually at least one Italian Navy ship operating off Misrata).