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Libyan Afriqiyah Airways plane landed in Malta 'may be hijacked', says Maltese PM | Libyan Afriqiyah Airways plane landed in Malta 'may be hijacked', says Maltese PM |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Libyan plane has landed in Malta in what appears to be a “potential hijack situation”. | |
The passenger plane with around 118 people on board was on an internal flight in Libya when it was diverted. | |
“Informed of potential hijack situation of a Libya internal flight diverted to Malta. Security and emergency operations standing by,” wrote Joseph Muscat, Malta’s Prime Minister, on Twitter. | |
Reports suggested one hijacker was on board the plane claiming to be in possession of a hand grenade, according to Maltese media. | |
The hijacker has reportedly claimed he is pro-Gaddafi and said he was willing to let passengers go apart from the crew if his demands were met. | |
Earlier reports suggested two hijackers had threatened to bomb the plane. | |
The plane is an Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A320, believed to have been on its way from Sebha in south west Libya to the capital Tripoli. | |
Muammar Gaddafi, the former Prime Minister of Libya commonly known as Colonel Gaddafi, died in 2011. | |
"We think there's been an unlawful interference at our airport. All emergency police in the have been dispatched to the site [where the plane has landed], a spokesperson for Malta International Airport told The Independent | |
"At the moment we don't have information on what is happening on board." | |
According to the Times of Malta, the plane's engines were still running and it was surrounded by soldiers, but no one is yet believed to have approached the plane. | |
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