Two pilots landing in North Africa allegedly crossed one of aviation’s boldest red lines by flying drunk when they crashed a brand new private jet this week, causing it to burst into flames just after it touched down in Libya.
Operated by a Turkish company, the 2026 Cessna Citation Latitude was descending at Misrata International Airport in Libya on Monday when it veered off the runway and crashed, Arab News reported.
The aircraft had only three people on board: a German pilot, a Turkish co-pilot, and a Turkish flight attendant, according to Arab News, citing Libyan outlet Al-Ahrar TV’s report.
Miraculously, no injuries were reported. With the exception of the cockpit, the entire aircraft caught fire in the crash.
The crash caused only a brief travel disruption at the Misrata Airport.
Libya prosecutors ordered the arrest of the two pilots, whose identity was not disclosed, according to the Arab News report.
Prosecutors revealed authorities probing the crash found “evidence” that the pilots “had flown the aircraft while drunk,” according to the outlet.
They added the aviators “posed a real threat” to “the airport, its users, and the safety of the airspace the aircraft traversed before it crashed.”
The investigation into the causes of the crash is continuing.
Breitbart contributor Lowell Cauffiel is the best-selling author of the Los Angeles crime novel Below the Line and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more.