Italy confirms military drone crashed in Libya

An unarmed Italian Air Force Reaper drone has crashed in an area of Libya marked by fighting in the country’s civil conflict.

After reports of the incident began to circulate on the internet Wednesday, the Italian military general staff confirmed that “contact was lost with an Italian Air Force drone, which subsequently crashed in Libyan territory.”

The drone was “following a flight plan previously communicated to Libyan authorities,” the general staff said in a statement.

The drone crashed near Tarhuna, southeast of Tripoli.

“An investigation is underway to establish the cause of the event,” said the Italian general staff.

The fact that the drone crashed miles inland in Libya suggested the drone was being flown on a surveillance mission, although the general staff stated the Reaper was flying in support of Operation Mare Sicuro, an Italian mission to monitor people trafficking in the Mediterranean.

Via DW/ ANSA/La Repubblica