The Prime Minister of Malta announced the release of all passengers of the Afriqiyah Airways flight and the arrest of the hijackers. The Libyan aircraft was hijacked on Friday morning with 118 passengers on board and landed in Malta. Earlier, Joseph Muscat, the Prime Minister of Malta, who was announcing the events related to the hijacking via Twitter, wrote that 109 passengers had been released and only two hijackers and seven crew members remained. He has now reported that the hijackers have surrendered and are in custody, and the remaining crew members on the plane have also been released. Maltese media reported on Friday that a Libyan aircraft with 118 passengers had been hijacked and diverted to Malta. Following these reports, the Prime Minister of Malta confirmed the news on Twitter and assured that Maltese security and emergency forces were on the scene. State television in Malta reported that the hijackers were armed with hand grenades and threatened to blow up the plane. The aircraft is an Airbus A120 belonging to the state-owned Afriqiyah Airways, which was traveling from the city of Sebha in southwestern Libya to Tripoli, the capital of Libya, when it was hijacked and ultimately reached Malta in southern Europe. According to a report from the German news agency, the hijackers identified themselves as supporters of Muammar Gaddafi, the former leader of Libya, and emphasized that if their demands were met, they would allow all passengers to exit the plane. A Reuters report also states that one of the hijackers identified himself as the leader of a Gaddafi-supporting party in an interview with Libyan television. Libya has remained unstable since the fall of Gaddafi and his death in 2011, with parts of the country still under the control of various militia groups. The release of the passengers of the Afriqiyah Airways flight occurred in stages, with 25 female passengers released first, followed by 40 others, and finally the remaining 44 passengers.
Release of All Passengers and Arrest of Hijackers of Libyan Flight
All passengers of a hijacked Libyan flight have been released, and the hijackers have been arrested. The incident involved 118 passengers and was linked to supporters of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. This event highlights ongoing instability in Libya and raises concerns about aviation security.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
A Libyan flight was hijacked and diverted to Malta, where all passengers were eventually released and the hijackers arrested. The hijackers were supporters of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
- The hijacked aircraft was an Airbus A120 with 118 passengers.
- The hijackers were armed and threatened to blow up the plane.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Libya has been in a state of turmoil since the overthrow and death of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, leading to factional fighting and instability.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%