Plane diverted after shell hits Tripoli's Maitigua airport

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - A Libyan Airlines plane from Tunis was diverted after a shell hit the plane at Maitigua airport on the eastern outskirts of Tripoli, the airport's management announced on Sunday.

"While the plane was in the landing phase, the control tower was forced to divert it to Misrata International Airport, 220 km east of Tripoli," the airport said in a statement.

On Friday, Libyan Airlines announced the suspension of flights at Maitigua International Airport because it was the target of shooting without giving details.

The airline had diverted a flight from Istanbul to Misrata airport.

On a regular basis, Maitigua airport, the only one operating in the Libyan capital, has been the target of shooting or air raids that have intensified since the launch of a military offensive by Libyan National Army forces on 4 April led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

-0- PANA BY/JSG/BBA/MA 24June2019