The Libyan government closed its airspace Friday, March 18, to all traffic, reacting to a UN resolution authorizing the use of force and a no-fly zone to protect the Libyan people from attacks by forces loyal to strongman Moammar Gadhafi.
Europe's air traffic control agency, Eurocontrol, told airlines that "the latest information from Malta indicates that Tripoli (air control center) does not accept traffic."
The Brussels-based agency's map of air traffic over Europe and the Mediterranean showed that Libyan airspace was off limits, according to the Associated Press.
On Thursday, the UN Security Council authorized "all necessary measures" to stop attacks on civilians in Libya – including strikes by sea and air – hours after Gadhafi vowed to launch a final assault and crush the weeks-old rebellion against him.
Eurocontrol said it had no information on how long Libya's airspace would be closed, but the agency said it had halted all air traffic to Libya for 24 hours.
