It was headed for Misrata in Libya for monitoring migrant trafficking routes for the French government..A small plane heading toward Misrata on Libya’s coast to monitor migrant trafficking routes for the French government crashed soon after takeoff from Malta’s airport on Monday, killing all five French crewmembers, authorities said. All victims were FrenchMalta’s government said all five victims were French. It said the flight was part of a French Customs surveillance operation tracing routes of illicit trafficking, both of humans and drugs, leaving Libya’s lawless coasts. Used for surveillance flightsMalta’s International Airport is used for surveillance flights to Libya due to its proximity. The government said the French Customs operation has been active for about five months.

Source: The Hindu October 24, 2016 09:08 UTC