Libyan authorities forced me to divert Super Eagles plane – Pilot

The aviator of the chartered craft successful which the Super Eagles flew to Libya, has revealed that Libyan authorities coerced him to divert the formation to the sub-standard airdrome astatine Al-Abraq.

DAILY POST reports that the unexpected diversion of the formation to a distant airport, Al-Abraq, alternatively of their intended destination, Benghazi has been a root of contention betwixt Nigeria and Libya.

While the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, alleged that the determination was intentional, the Libyan Football Federation, LFF, denied maltreating the Super Eagles, attributing the situation to a hitch successful logistics.

However, the Tunisian pilot, successful a video interrogation shared connected the X grip of Pooja Media, said the risky diversion was unexpected, adding that his pleas to the Libyans connected the risks of doing truthful fell connected deaf ears.

According to him, the formation program was to onshore astatine Benghazi, Benina, and they had the support from the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority to bash so, but aboriginal got an acquisition connected their descent to divert to Al-Abraq, which is astir 150 miles away, astir 300 kilometres east, which was not adjacent their alternate airport.

He added that specified is not good, pointing retired the imaginable risks of the diversion.

“In aviation, we person our formation plan, we cipher the substance to our destination, truthful we person to debar this benignant of happening due to the fact that it whitethorn marque a breach to safety.

“When I asked to onshore successful Benghazi according to my formation program and according to my authorisation, they said no, it’s from the highest authority; you person to onshore successful Al-Abraq.

“Everything is registered successful aviation, we cannot fell anything, truthful I asked them respective times, astatine slightest 8 times, and I warned them, astir apt I volition beryllium successful occupation for fuel; they said it’s from the highest authority, you cannot onshore successful Benghazi, you person to divert instantly to Al-Abraq,” helium added.