Desertion of 4 March 1997

Desertion of 4 March 1997 (Albanian: Dezertimi i 4 Marsit 1997) was the desertion of two Air Force pilots to RA, and Agron Dajçi Ardian Elezi, and their departure to Italy. The incident caused a diplomatic scandal and an irritation of the situation between the rebels and the government.

The event

On 4 March 1997, at 15:30, two pilots of the Regiment from 4020 to Rinas airport and head off towards the south of the country. During their return flight to Italy and decided to land at the Air Base Galattina of Lecce, in southern Italy. They manage to escape radar, by flying their plane 15 meters from sea level and were only detected when Italian forces down. The government later demanded the repatriation of two deserters.

Assumptions on event

The pilots said they were ordered by the government to strike Mifol Bridge, connecting with Fier Vlore, in order to isolate the insurgency. Not wanting to hit civilians, they fled to Italy. But the fact that the aircraft did not catch the radar, even though a plane is weak and difficult to be piloted at low altitude, suggests that the evacuation plan was parapregatitur Italy and not a plan of the moment as the pilots say.

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