A Libyan Air Force MiG-23 fighter crashed west of Libya’s city of Benghazi due to technical difficulties, a military source told Sputnik.
As a result of the crash, the pilot died, according to the source. The accident reportedly occurred after the plane took off from the Baninah military airport. The source also ruled out the possibility of the crash being caused by an attack on the plane.
Earlier in the day, local media reported that the fighter jet was downed by the Islamic State militants, outlawed in many countries, including Russia.
The incident is the third crash of a Libyan military aircraft caused by technical problems and resulting in pilot’s death in the past three months.