 On 17 March, a pro-Gadaffi Su-22UM3K fighter bomber was shot down over Benina AB, the pilot, reportedly an Algerian mercenary, ejected safely and was captured by rebel forces.On that same day, on 17 March 2011, a "Free Libya Air Force" MiG-21UM crashed after take off from Benina airport due to technical problems, the pilot ejected safely.The rebel MiG-21UM that crashed on March 17 was flown from Ghardabiya Air Base near Sirte to Benina by a defecting pilot the day before.