Libya Malta hijack: Hijackers arrested

The hijackers of a Libyan jet have been arrested following a stand-off at Malta International Airport.

The domestic flight with 118 people on board was hijacked in the morning after taking off from Sabha, bound for the Libyan capital Tripoli.

They surrendered to Maltese authorities after most of the people had been released from the Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A320.

It remains unclear exactly how many hijackers were involved.

However, it appears they may be supporters of the late former leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

The hijackers of a Libyan jet have been arrested following a stand-off at Malta International Airport.

The domestic flight with 118 people on board was hijacked in the morning after taking off from Sabha, bound for the Libyan capital Tripoli.

They surrendered to Maltese authorities after most of the people had been released from the Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A320.

It remains unclear exactly how many hijackers were involved.

However, it appears they may be supporters of the late former leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

The incident began after the plane took off from Sabha at 11:10 local time (08:10 GMT), landing in Malta two hours and 20 minutes later.

At least one man claiming to have a hand grenade threatened to blow up the plane, according to local reports.

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the passenger list included 82 men, 28 women and one baby.

Col Khayali said the plane had left Sabha’s Tmenhant military airport at 11:05 local time for Tripoli.

“It was hijacked and investigations are continuing to establish how any explosives or weapons made it on board,” he said.

He added that security at Tmenhant was poor, with a distance of 5km (3.1 miles) travel between the airport building and planes.

“That is an open space and it is possible that along that route something was smuggled on board,” he said.

The deputy mayor for Lija in Malta, Madga Magri Naudi, told the BBC that paramedics and soldiers were standing by to see “what the next step is”.

A special committee meeting was taking place to address the situation, she added.

In the meantime, Malta International Airport has been closed and all flights have been diverted.

BBC News