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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 |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Passengers are being released from a Libyan plane which was hijacked and diverted to Malta. | |
| At least 25 passengers have left the aircraft and more are disembarking the Afriqiyah Airways plane at Malta International Airport while negotiations are held. | |
| The passenger plane with 111 people on board was on an internal flight in Libya when it was diverted. | The passenger plane with 111 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. | “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. |
| Mr Muscat also said the flight has 111 passengers on board, of whom 82 are men, 28 are women and one a child. | Mr Muscat also said the flight has 111 passengers on board, of whom 82 are men, 28 are women and one a child. |
| The Deputy Mayor for Lija in Malta has said “two people on board have been threatening to blow up the plane,” reported the BBC. | The Deputy Mayor for Lija in Malta has said “two people on board have been threatening to blow up the plane,” reported the BBC. |
| A security official at Tripoli Airport has said the pilot tried to land in Tripoli but the hijackers refused, according to Reuters. The official said the pilot was in contact with Tripoli Airport Control but communications were then lost. | A security official at Tripoli Airport has said the pilot tried to land in Tripoli but the hijackers refused, according to Reuters. The official said the pilot was in contact with Tripoli Airport Control but communications were then lost. |
| Other reports suggested one hijacker was on board the plane claiming to be in possession of a hand grenade, according to Maltese media. | Other 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. | 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 | "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." | "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. | 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. |
| More follows... | More follows... |