USAF Veteran Freed From Captivity In Libya | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.07.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.08.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.09.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-07.10.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.11.25

Sun, Jun 30, 2019

USAF Veteran Freed From Captivity In Libya

Accused Of Being A Mercenary Pilot In Libya's Civil War

U.S. officials say a U.S. Air Force veteran who had been accused of being a mercenary in Libya's civil war has been freed six months after the plane he was flying was shot down.

According to Stars and Stripes, Florida resident Jamie Sponaugle, 31 was piloting an airplane believed to be a Mirage F1 combat jet that was conducting a bombing raid against Libyan National Army (LNA) forces near Tripoli. The LNA said it shot down the plane. Sponaugle's captivity had not previously been reported at the request of U.S. officials who were working for his release, according to anonymous sources.

Sponaugle had enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 2006, and became a mechanic, according to Air Force officials. He was not a pilot. He left active duty in 2013, and earned a private pilot certificate, but had no military aviation experience or training.

U.S. officials do not have a clear understanding of what the former airman was doing in Libya. In a video posted to social media shortly after his capture, he identified himself as a Portugese national named Jimmy Rees, and said he was in Libya as a civilian pilot under a contract focused on "destroying bridges and roads."

It is also not known if Sponaugle violated U.S. law by working for or fighting in Libya.

(Image from file)

FMI: Source report

Advertisement

More News

KidVenture Educational Activities Lineup At EAA AirVenture 2025

Youth Explore With Hands-On Builds, RC Airplanes, Flight Sims, Much More KidVenture is located just north of the EAA Aviation Museum, at Pioneer Airport, and has arranged a myriad >[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (07.07.25)

“About nine decades ago, Amelia Earhart was recruited to Purdue, and the university president later worked with her to prepare an aircraft for her historic flight around the >[...]

Airborne 07.07.25: Sully v Bedford, RAF Vandalism, Discovery Moving?

Also: New Amelia Search, B737 Flap Falls Off, SUN ‘n FUN Unveiling, F-16 Record Captain Sully Sullenberger, the pilot who saved 155 people by safely landing an A320 in the Hu>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (07.08.25)

"It is critically important for North American flight safety that Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) violations are avoided. All pilots must familiarize themselves with updates to >[...]

Airborne-NextGen 07.08.25: Joby in Dubai, Army Electra, Archer iin Abu Dhabi

Also: Hackers v Aviation, Discovery Moving?, Gogo Galileo HDX, EVE to Costa Rica Joby Aviation announced its electric air taxi successfully completed a series of VTOL wingborne tri>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC