Turkey Refutes Allegations of Flight Diversion Due to Libya Tensions

Ankara: Turkey has firmly denied allegations that a Turkish Airlines flight was diverted from landing in Libya out of fear of possible retaliation linked to a recent diplomatic incident involving a Libyan military delegation in Ankara. According to Libyan News Agency, the Turkish Presidency's Disinformation Center issued a statement refuting claims that the diversion of Turkish Airlines flight TK 641 was related to safety concerns. The statement was published on the Turkish "InSocial" platform, addressing reports circulating in various media outlets and social media platforms. The Center clarified that the flight, originally scheduled from Istanbul to Benghazi on December 24, 2025, was rerouted to Bodrum-Milas Airport in Turkey solely due to excessive wind speeds at the Benghazi airport, which exceeded the operational limits for landing. There were no other factors influencing the decision to divert the flight. Anadolu Agency further cited the center's confirmation that subsequent flights to Libya operated according to their planned schedules, underscoring that the initial diversion was an isolated incident. The Disinformation Center called on the public to disregard the claims of media disinformation aimed at damaging Turkey's relationship with Libya by exploiting sensitive events. The statement emphasized the importance of maintaining strong ties with Libya, urging caution against narratives that could potentially harm bilateral relations.