Dangerous conditions at Djibouti base threatens U.S. military pilots: Washington Post

Conditions at an African base used by U.S. military pilots flying missions over Yemen and Somalia have become chronically dangerous, with fliers relying on local air-traffic controllers who sleep on the job and commit frequent errors, the Washington Post reported on Thursday. Conditions at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti are so bad that U.S. warplanes and civilian airliners alike are routinely placed in jeopardy, according to federal aviation experts and documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, the Post said. U.S. officials told the Post the Obama administration has been pressing Djibouti in high-level talks to bolster aviation safety. Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to travel to Djibouti on Saturday.

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