Libyan Mirage pilots go home
2011-09-18 17:04
Valletta - Two Libyan pilots who had defected to Malta in February after refusing to obey orders to bomb civilians returned home on Sunday to join the North African country's new air force.
Speaking to reporters before leaving Malta, the pilots revealed they were the sole instructors of the Libyan air force. They asked the media not to divulge their names for safety reasons.
The pilots decided to fly their aircraft to Malta on February 21, shortly after the start of the Libyan revolution, claiming they had been ordered by the regime of fugitive leader Muammar Gaddafi to attack a village of around 1 300 people.
Immediately after take-off, the pilots changed radio frequency and headed north towards Malta, flying below radar level.
"At that point we gave more consideration for our country than for our families or anything else. We left our fate in God and our prayers were answered and the tyrant was removed from power," one of the pilots said.
They thanked Malta for its assistance, especially after the Maltese government repeatedly refused to grant a request from the Gaddafi regime to send the pilots and their Mirage aircraft back.
"This was a courageous decision. In taking this decision, the Maltese government prevented the use of those planes against the Libyan people."
Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the defections had sent a very important signal to Libyans and the international community.
- SAPA