Ex-Italian Prime Minister Alleges French Missile Responsible for 1980 Civilian Air Crash, Urges French Government for Disclosure

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In a recent interview published on Saturday, former Italian Prime Minister Giuliano Amato stated that a French Air Force missile unintentionally downed an Italian civilian aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea in 1980. This act was allegedly part of an unsuccessful attempt to eliminate Libya’s then-leader, Moammar Gadhafi.

Amato, who served as Premier twice, has requested that French President Emmanuel Macron either validate or disprove these claims concerning the aviation disaster on June 27, 1980, which resulted in the loss of all 81 lives on the domestic Italian flight.

During a dialogue with the Rome-based newspaper La Repubblica, Amato expressed his belief that the French military mistakenly hit the civilian aircraft while aiming for a Libyan military jet. Though he admitted to lacking conclusive evidence, he also posited that Italian intelligence had warned Gadhafi of the planned attack, ensuring that the Libyan leader did not board the intended military flight.

The reason behind the tragic incident remains among Italy’s most enduring enigmas. Some propose that an onboard bomb caused the plane to crash, while others suggest that an examination of the wreckage, recovered years later from the ocean floor, indicates that a missile strike was responsible.

Radar data showed heightened aerial activity in the region where the aircraft was lost. Amato was quoted, “The most plausible explanation involves the culpability of the French Air Force, potentially in collusion with American forces, engaging in aerial warfare that fateful evening.”

According to Amato, NATO had scheduled a simulated exercise involving multiple aircraft, during which a missile was slated for launch aimed at Gadhafi. Amato alleges that a French fighter jet, taking off from an aircraft carrier possibly near Corsica’s southern coast, fired the missile.

President Macron, who was only a toddler at the time of the Ustica tragedy, has been challenged by Amato to clear France’s reputation. Amato stated that Macron has two options to do so—either by proving the allegation baseless or, if evidence confirms the allegation, by issuing a formal apology to Italy and the victim’s families on behalf of his government.

In 2000, during his tenure as Premier, Amato sought to illuminate the events by writing to then U.S. President Bill Clinton and then French President Jacques Chirac. However, his efforts were met with “absolute silence,” according to Amato.

In response to queries from The Big Big News, the French President’s office indicated on Saturday that it would not provide immediate comments on Amato’s allegations.

Current Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged Amato to substantiate his claims, if he has credible evidence, so that the Italian government could consider further investigation. Meloni released a statement acknowledging that Amato’s assertions deserved scrutiny, but also highlighted that these claims are based on his “personal deductions.”

Previous allegations regarding French involvement are not unprecedented. In a 2008 television interview, former Italian President Francesco Cossiga, who was in office during the incident, also blamed a French missile aimed at a Libyan military aircraft. Cossiga also disclosed that Italian intelligence had forewarned Gadhafi.

Moammar Gadhafi was ultimately killed during the Libyan civil war in 2011.

Weeks following the ill-fated flight, a Libyan MiG was discovered in the remote mountains of southern Calabria, along with the decomposed body of its pilot.

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Contributions to this report were made by Sylvie Corbet, a correspondent for Big Big News based in Paris.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Italian Civilian Plane Crash 1980

More about Italian Civilian Plane Crash 1980

• Original Interview with Giuliano Amato in La Repubblica
• Background on the 1980 Italian Plane Crash
• French President Emmanuel Macron’s Official Statement
• Previous Claims by Former Italian President Francesco Cossiga
• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Official Statement
• History of Moammar Gadhafi
• NATO’s Official Website
• 2000 Correspondence between Giuliano Amato, Bill Clinton, and Jacques Chirac
• Discovery of Libyan MiG Aircraft