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Libyan hijackers release most hostages from plane diverted to Malta Libyan hijackers surrender after release of hostages from plane diverted to Malta
(35 minutes later)
Hijackers who forced a Libyan plane to fly to Malta by threatening to detonate hand grenades have allowed all passengers and most crew to leave the aircraft hours after landing, but kept a few people as hostages. Two Gaddafi loyalists who hijacked an internal Libyan flight with hand grenades forced the pilot to fly to Malta have been arrested by authorities there after allowing all the passengers and crew to leave the plane without violence.
The Airbus A320, operated by the state-owned airline Afriqiyah Airways, was hijacked on an internal route between the cities of Sabha and Tripoli on Friday. There were 118 passengers and crew on board, with one Libyan politician, Abdel-Salam al-Marabet, reported to be on the passenger list. The four-hour standoff ended when the two men, who reportedly claimed they wanted to launch a new political party, came out of the Afriqiyah Airways plane with a crew-member who was their final hostage.
Most were released without the hijackers’ demands being made public. Negotiations were under way by early afternoon, and the first releases were announced soon after the Maltese prime minister, Joseph Muscat, spoke to his Libyan counterpart, Fayez al-Sarraj. “Hijackers surrendered, searched and taken in custody,” Maltese prime minister, Joseph Muscat said on Twitter, after the 116 passengers and crew on board were allowed to leave the plane in batches.
After announcing the release of 109 passengers and most crew, Muscat said there were “potentially two hijackers and some crew members still on board”. Although some recent hijackings have been carried out by pilots, the numbers given by Muscat implied the two hijackers had boarded as passengers. As negotiations were underway one of the hijackers told Libya’s Channel TV in a phone call that he headed a party supporting the late dictator Muammar Gaddafi, and had organised the uprising to promote the group.
Potentially 2 hijackers and some crew members still on board aircraft. رئيس حزب الفاتح الجديد: قمنا بهذا العمل لإشهار حزبنا الجديد والإعلان عنه
It is called the new Al-Fateh, a reference to Gaddafi’s rise to power in a 1969 coup, Reuters reported. Photos from Malta appeared to show a hijacker standing outside the plane with a green flag like those used by Gaddafi supporters.
Libya’s autocratic former leader was toppled then killed in a 2011 uprising, but since then much of the country has slid into violent chaos.
The Airbus A320, operated by the state-owned airline Afriqiyah Airways, was hijacked on an internal route between the cities of Sabha and Tripoli on Friday. One Libyan politician, Abdel-Salam al-Marabet, reported to be on the passenger list.
Most were released without the hijackers’ demands being made public. Negotiations were under way by early afternoon, and the first releases were announced soon after Muscat spoke to his Libyan counterpart, Fayez al-Sarraj.
The plane had initially flown towards Malta, 220 miles (350km) north of Tripoli, then headed back towards Libya but turned around again to land in Malta, an official from Afriqiyah Airways said.The plane had initially flown towards Malta, 220 miles (350km) north of Tripoli, then headed back towards Libya but turned around again to land in Malta, an official from Afriqiyah Airways said.
The pilot had tried to persuade the hijackers to land in Libya, Reuters quoted a security source at the main airport as saying.The pilot had tried to persuade the hijackers to land in Libya, Reuters quoted a security source at the main airport as saying.
“The pilot reported to the control tower in Tripoli that they were being hijacked, then they lost communication with him,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The pilot tried very hard to have them land at the correct destination but they refused.”“The pilot reported to the control tower in Tripoli that they were being hijacked, then they lost communication with him,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The pilot tried very hard to have them land at the correct destination but they refused.”
All flights to and from Malta’s airport had been cancelled or diverted, and security forces gathered near the plane, which sat on the runway with its engines still running long after it had landed. All flights to and from Malta’s airport were cancelled or diverted during the stand-off, and security forces gathered near the plane, which sat on the runway with its engines still running long after it had landed.
Muscat had earlier said security and emergency operations were on standby. The Maltese president, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, appealed for calm. Muscat had put security and emergency operations on standby, and Maltese president, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, appealed for calm.
Following the news re #Afriqiyah Airways @Maltairport, I appeal for everyone to remain calm and follow official updatesFollowing the news re #Afriqiyah Airways @Maltairport, I appeal for everyone to remain calm and follow official updates
Malta has been a destination for hijackers before. In 1985, an EgyptAir flight from Athens to Cairo was forced to land in Malta, where a 24-hour ordeal ended with the death of 60 hostages. Many of them were killed when Egyptian commandos stormed the plane in what was considered a botched operation.Malta has been a destination for hijackers before. In 1985, an EgyptAir flight from Athens to Cairo was forced to land in Malta, where a 24-hour ordeal ended with the death of 60 hostages. Many of them were killed when Egyptian commandos stormed the plane in what was considered a botched operation.
A decade earlier the then prime minister, Dom Mintoff, negotiated a successful conclusion to another hijacking. A KLM flight from Amsterdam to Tokyo was hijacked over Iraqi airspace, then flew to Malta after being refused landing permission anywhere else. Mintoff secured the release of 247 passengers and eight crew members in return for fuel, and the plane headed to Dubai where the remaining hostages were released.A decade earlier the then prime minister, Dom Mintoff, negotiated a successful conclusion to another hijacking. A KLM flight from Amsterdam to Tokyo was hijacked over Iraqi airspace, then flew to Malta after being refused landing permission anywhere else. Mintoff secured the release of 247 passengers and eight crew members in return for fuel, and the plane headed to Dubai where the remaining hostages were released.