Terror of 100 passengers as hijackers seize jet
TWO men armed with hand grenades and guns hijacked a plane and held more than 100 passengers hostage on the runway in Malta yesterday.
The pair seized control as the aircraft travelled across Libya with 118 passengers and were planning to seek asylum in Europe and set up a pro-Gaddafi political party there.
The internal flight had set off from Sabha in the centre of the country and was en route to the capital Tripoli when it was diverted to Malta.
However, the dramatic hijack ended after four hours without any casualties when the men, both in their 20s, surrendered after holding up a flag supporting the country’s late leader, the dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
All the hostages – including one infant – were freed unharmed and left the Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A320 which landed at Malta International Airport.
Pictures emerged of the pair kneeling on the runway with their hands up in what is believed to be the moment they were arrested by the Maltese authorities.
Later Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat revealed the men had been armed with a pistol and a grenade. A search of the aircraft following their arrest revealed a second gun. Mr Muscat said neither of the men, believed to be of Libyan nationality, had made any demands.
‘The two hijackers have been detained in custody and interrogations are ongoing,’ he said. ‘The rest of the crew and passengers are also being questioned to ascertain events.
‘Once this interrogation process is completed over the next few hours arrangements will be made to send the passengers and the crew members back to Libya with another Afriqiyah aircraft.’
Shortly before the incident drew to
an end, one man emerged from the plane briefly and stood on its steps waving a green, Gaddafi-era flag.
One of the hijackers had earlier told a Libyan television station: ‘We took this measure to declare and promote our new party.’
Initial information had suggested the pair were trying to claim political asylum in Malta, the mayor of Sabha, Colonel Hamed al-Khayali, told the BBC.
Taher Siala, Libya’s foreign minister, said the hijackers wanted to set up a pro-Gaddafi political party.
The overthrow of Gaddafi in 2011, who had ruled the country since 1969, left warring militias, including Islamic State, battling for control of different parts of the country.
Airport security in Libya is as chaotic as the country’s politics. Various armed groups who do not have any particular allegiance to any Libyan administration control them all.
Libyans already have trouble flying out of their own country, and European airspace has been closed to all flights from the country for more than two years. This latest incident will only ensure that ban remains.