Libyan plane with118 people on board hijacked & diverted to Malta

A Libya internal flight with 118 people on board was hijacked by two people on Friday and diverted to Malta where it landed. The two hijackers had threatened to blow up the Airbus A320, the Times of Malta said. The aircraft had been flying from Sebha in southwest Libya to Tripoli for state-owned Afriqiyah Airways.

The tiny Mediterranean island of Malta is about 500 km (300 miles) north of the Libyan coast.

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat tweeted: "Informed of potential hijack situation of a #Libya internal flight diverted to #Malta. Security and emergency operations standing by -JM An update said the two hijackers are pro-Gaddafi supporters armed with hand grenades. Their demands are not known yet. Meanwhile, Maltese forces have surrounded the plane after it landed in the country. Negotiation is underway. Details later...