Libyan plane hijacked, taken to Malta

Hijackers release all passengers before surrendering; want creation of pro-Qaddafi party

VALLETTA, Malta: Hijackers claiming to have a grenade took over a Libyan plane and diverted it to Malta on Friday, before releasing almost all the passengers on board, the prime minister of the Mediterranean island said.

 

After more than an hour on the tarmac, the door of the Airbus A320 opened and a first group of women and children were seen descending a mobile staircase. Dozens more passengers were released minutes later.

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said in all 109 passengers had been released, which would leave only two passengers, possibly the hijackers themselves. Seven crew members were also on board the flight. "Crew members being released," Muscat said on Twitter. Later, he tweeted: that "Hijackers surrendered, searched and taken in custody."

Maltese government sources had earlier said only a single hijacker was believed to be on the plane. The aircraft had been on a domestic Libyan route operated by Afriqiyah Airways from Sabha in southern Libya to the capital Tripoli but was re-routed. "The Afriqiyah flight from Sabha to Tripoli has been diverted and has landed in Malta. Security services coordinating operations," Muscat tweeted earlier.

"It has been established that Afriqiyah flight has 111 passengers on board: 82 males, 28 females, 1 infant," he said. Muscat later spoke to Libya's Prime Minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj, the head of the north African country's fledgling unity government, the Maltese prime minister's office said.

The plane could be seen on the tarmac surrounded by military vehicles and all flights in and out of the airport were initially either delayed or diverted to destinations in Italy, though some later landed.

Earlier, a source from Libya's unity government spoke of "hijackers" on board the plane. "Negotiations are under way to guarantee the security of all the passengers," the source said, without specifying who was negotiating.

The two hijackers are supporters of Moamer Qaddafi and have asked for political asylum there, Libya's foreign minister said.

Taher Siala, the foreign minister of Libya's internationally backed Government of National Accord, also said that the hijackers have said they want to set up a pro-Kadhafi political party.

An Afriqiyah Airways source said two hijackers had threatened the pilots with an explosive device, probably a grenade.

Malta International Airport tweeted that there had been "an unlawful interference" but that operations had now resumed. Flights from Brussels, London and Paris had been due to land at the airport on Friday and were delayed.

Outgoing flights were also shown resuming. Libya has been in a state of chaos since the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Qaddafi left warring militias battling for control of different parts of the country.

Forces loyal to a fledgling national unity government recently took control of the coastal city of Sirte, which had been a bastion for the Islamic State group since June 2015. – AFP Reuters adds: One of the men who hijacked the Libyan plane, told Libyan TV that he was the head of a party supporting Qaddafi.

The man, who gave his name as Moussa Shaha, told Libya's Channel TV station by phone that he was the head of Al-Fateh Al-Jadeed, or The New Al-Fateh. Al-Fateh is the name that Qaddafi gave to September, the month he staged a coup in 1969, and the word came to signify his coming to power.

A Libyan lawmaker who spoke to one of the passengers also said the two hijackers were demanding the creation of a pro-Qaddafi party. Images circulating in the media appeared to show a hijacker stepping out of the plane with a green flag similar to those used by Qaddafi supporters.