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Libya Malta hijack: First passengers released at airport | |
(35 minutes later) | |
The first people have been allowed off a hijacked Libyan jet during a stand-off at Malta International Airport. | |
Malta's Prime Minister has said only some of the crew remain on board the domestic Afriqiyah Airways flight but it remains unclear how many hijackers there are. | |
At least one man claiming to have a hand grenade threatened to blow up the plane, according to local reports. | At least one man claiming to have a hand grenade threatened to blow up the plane, according to local reports. |
The Airbus A320 which was flying from Sabha to Tripoli when it was diverted. | |
It is believed that 118 people were aboard the plane. | |
Initial information suggests the hijacker is trying to claim political asylum in Malta, the mayor of Sabha, Colonel Hamed al-Khayali, told the BBC. | |
But a Libyan member of parliament who spoke to a colleague on board the flight told Reuters news agency the demands were not yet known. | |
Col Khayali also said there was only one hijacker - although some reports say there are two. | |
He added there were 111 passengers on board the Airbus A320, plus seven crew members. | |
The plane took off from Sabha at 11:10 local time (08:10 GMT), landing in Malta two hours and 20 minutes later. | |
Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that his country's security forces were standing by. | Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that his country's security forces were standing by. |
Mr Muscat said on Twitter that the passengers list included 82 men, 28 women and one baby. | Mr Muscat said on Twitter that the passengers 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. | "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. | 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. | "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". | 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. | 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. | In the meantime, Malta International Airport has been closed and all flights have been diverted. |
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