A US commander of the joint task force said that both airmen safely got out of Libya with a help of recue operation.
One crew member was recovered by coalition forces. The other crew was found by the people of Libya.
Some picture shows Libyans clambering over the smoldering wreckage of the plane outside the town of Bu Maryam, 24 miles east of the rebel capital of Benghazi.
In response to questions, the commander refused to comment on a British news report that a Marine Osprey aircraft opened fire on villagers approaching one of the downed airmen, killing five of them.
He said there would be a complete investigation of the incident, adding that the “recovery mission from my perspective was executed as I would have expected to be, given the circumstances.”
Coalition strikes have rendered Gaddafi’s air-defense systems and air force largely ineffective. But he said government ground forces are not yet in compliance with the UN Security Council resolution authorizing military intervention in Libya because of what he said were continuing attacks on civilians.
(아주경제 송지영 기자)
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
