France Shares Defence Documents With Italy Over 1980 Ustica Crash

France has decided to share defence documents with the Italian judiciary regarding the 1980 crash of a passenger jet, France 24 reported. The aircraft crashed near the island of Ustica. The decision by French authorities has raised hopes of a breakthrough in the long standing Italian investigations. [1]

The incident is regarded as one of the most enduring mysteries in Italy, France 24 reported. A former Italian president previously claimed that a French fighter jet mistakenly shot down the passenger plane. The sharing of official defence documents is meant to support the ongoing work of the Italian judiciary. [1]

However, sceptics caution that the defence files are unlikely to shed light on the historical mystery, France 24 reported. They doubt that the released documents will reveal a culprit responsible for the crash. Sceptics remain doubtful that the decision will lead to a definitive resolution. [1]

Wikipedia describes Ustica as a small island in the Tyrrhenian Sea located in southern Italy. It is administratively part of the comune of the same name within the Metropolitan City of Palermo in the autonomous region of Sicily. The island spans about five kilometres across, is situated 52 kilometres north of Capo Gallo, and has 1,323 inhabitants. [2]