What happened
A charter operation transporting Libyan pilgrims from Mecca to Tripoli, with a scheduled stop in Benghazi, encountered severe weather during its descent. Due to dense fog obscuring Benghazi Airport, air traffic control directed the aircraft type (not specified) to divert to Al Bayda.
Upon reaching the vicinity of Al Bayda, the crew struggled to identify the runway because of the low visibility. After performing multiple flight circuits in an attempt to locate the airfield, the aircraft reached a state of fuel exhaustion. In a final effort to avoid a high-speed impact, the pilot-in-command attempted an emergency landing in a desert region situated a few kilometers from Al Bayda Airport. The impact resulted in a crash.
Findings
The accident resulted in 59 fatalities among the passengers. While 46 occupants sustained injuries, 60 individuals managed to escape the wreckage without harm.