The mysterious plane that was seen flying at low altitudes over the traditional region of Spiš in eastern Slovakia on Saturday and Monday has been identified. It was a US Air Force Hercules C-130 military aircraft with an American crew, former defence minister Ľubomír Galko (SaS) said at a press briefing on Tuesday. The TA3 news channel reported on Monday that witnesses in Spiš saw a huge military aircraft flying at a low altitude with an opened cargo door. TA3 also approached the Defence Ministry, which said that the Slovak Air Force was not carrying out an exercise in the area. "The flight of the aircraft over Slovakia's territory was part of a planned and properly coordinated exercise activity of allied air forces. It wasn't our exercise", the Defence Ministry stated on Tuesday.
"It was an American aircraft Hercules C-130. It is a military cargo aircraft produced in the USA. This aircraft must have a flight plan - and according to my information, it does have one - and it took off from an unnamed place", said Ľubomír Galko. "It appears from video footage that the regulations [on minimum altitudes] were observed, and the aircraft wasn't flying lower than 300 metres", said Galko, adding that the Defence Ministry is always informed about the presence of such an aircraft, so it should also have presented the information to the public. "The USA is our ally, and we should present it as such, and not only do business together", said Galko, adding that the Government probably wants to avoid telling the public that American troops are operating in Slovakia in order not to lose political points with voters.
