Gulf of Sidra

Gulf of Sidra is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea on the northern coast of Libya; it is also known as Gulf of Sirte. It is located by the city of Sirte. In Ancient Rome it was known as Syrtis Maior (compare: Syrtis Minor).

Tuna fishing is of economic importance in the Gulf.

Territorial claim

Libya asserts that the entire gulf is Libyan territory with what is called the Gulf of Sidra closing line — 32 degrees, 30 minutes north with an exclusive fishing zone to 62 nm^[1]

The US denies Libya the right to assert the claim and believes Libya has only a standard of a 12-mile (22.2 km) territorial limit from the country's shore. Libya believes it to be a territorial sea, not just a coastal area. In 1973 this was asserted by Libya's leader Muammar al-Gaddafi who dubbed it The Line of Death.

In the 1981, there was an incident, US-Libyan air engagement over territorial claim, two Libyan Sukhoi Su-22 Fitter fighter aircraft were shot down by two US Navy F-14 Tomcats.

In 1986, the U.S launched a bombing of Libya. During the bombing, the Libyans shot down a F-111, killing USAF captains Fernando L. Ribas-Dominicci and Paul F. Lorence.

In 1989, in another Gulf of Sidra incident, two Libyan MiG-23 Flogger Es aircraft were shot down when it was believed they were about to attack the U.S. fighters that were in the area. In this instance, the Flogger pilots were lost when they were fired on and successfully shot down after a series of missile launches.

See also

• First Battle of Sirte, World War II naval battle between Regia Marina and Royal Navy in December 1941.
• Second Battle of Sirte, World War II naval battle between Regia Marina and Royal Navy in March 1942.
• Gulf of Sidra incident (1981), US-Libyan air engagement over territorial claim, two Libyan jets shot down
• Operation Attain Document, was a series of air strikes against Libyan naval and air defense targets in the spring of 1986 prior to Operation El Dorado Canyon.
• Operation El Dorado Canyon in 1986, was a series of Freedom of Navigation operations by US Naval Forces.
• Gulf of Sidra incident (1989), US-Libyan air engagement over territorial claim, two Libyan jets shot down by two US Tomcats

References

1. ^ "Libya Maritime claims, indexmundi.com". http://www.indexmundi.com/libya/maritime_claims.html. 

Coordinates: 31°46′00″N 18°30′20″E / 31.7666667°N 18.50556°E / 31.7666667; 18.50556

This Libya location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e