79. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Libya1
20279. Subject: Protest to Libya Over Navy Aircraft Incident.
1. Morning of January 28, NEA Deputy Assistant Secretary Day called in Libyan Charge to deliver protest note concerning incident January 27 when U.S. Navy plane was harassed in mid-air over international waters by two Libyan Mirages. Charge asked if we expected LARG response and was told that USG would be interested in any explanation LARG prepared to give. Details of incident are included in note, text of which follows.
2. Begin quote. The Department of State wishes to inform the Embassy of the Libyan Arab Republic that on the morning of January 27, 1977, two Libyan Mirage aircraft engaged in irresponsible and extremely dangerous maneuvers over international waters which threatened the safety of a United States Government airplane at latitude 34–09 north, longitude 13–08 east beginning at 10:32 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time.
The two Libyan aircraft approached an unarmed United States military aircraft from the southeast, coming to within 200 feet of the United States aircraft which was flying at an altitude of 13,500 feet. One of the Libyan fighters then maneuvered directly over the American aircraft by rolling from a position on the American aircraft’s left to its right, and accelerated so as to pass directly ahead of the American aircraft at a distance of 200 feet. The two Libyan aircraft then took up a position approximately two miles behind the American aircraft, one Libyan aircraft performed a maneuver similar to a gunnery approach, and the United States aircraft was illuminated with Libyan fire control radar until approximately 10:43 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time. Throughout its flight, the United States aircraft never proceeded closer than 53 nautical miles from Libyan territory, and the dangerous maneuvers described took place approximately 75 nautical miles north of Tripoli.
The United States Government hereby protests in the strongest terms that the actions of the Libyan aircraft constituted an extreme hazard to the safe navigation of the American aircraft over the high [Page 209] seas, and were in violation of international standards of aviation safety. The United States Government would consider it a dangerous and unfriendly act should such an incident recur and would hold the Government of the Libyan Arab Republic fully accountable for any future incidents in which United States aircraft transiting international air space were threatened. End quote.
3. Action requested: Embassy should deliver copy of above text to MFA, indicating that original note was handed to Libyan Charge Gashut on January 28 and report to Department by immediate cable when note delivered. Embassy should also report promptly any LARG comments/explanation.2
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770031–1104. Limited Official Use; Niact Immediate. Drafted by King; cleared in PM/ISO and DOD/OSD/ISA; approved by Day.↩
- In telegram 182 from Tripoli, February 8, the Embassy transmitted a translation of the Libyan response, which disputed the U.S. account: “An American military aircraft entered the training area of Libyan Air Force which is internationally recognized as prohibited and subsequently penetrated Libyan air space threatening the safety of Libyan Air Force aircraft. Libyan Air Force aircraft did not intercept the American aircraft, but only reconnoitered and followed it because the unidentified aircraft was approaching vital Libyan installations.” (National Archives, RG 59 Central Foreign Policy File, D770044–0812) In telegram 194 from Tripoli, February 9, Bergstrom reported on his meeting with Sahad, Acting Director of the Foreign Ministry Americas Department: “Beyond Libyan failure to acknowledge hazardous maneuvers Libyan aircraft, most troublesome element of LARG response is in unclear Libyan definition of prohibited, training, or restricted areas within the Libyan Flight Information Region (FIR).” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770046–0370)↩