VALLETTA: Two hijackers diverted a domestic flight from Libya to the Mediterranean island of Malta yesterday and threatened to blow it up with hand grenades.
After hours of negotiations, the standoff ended peacefully with the hijackers freeing all 117 passengers and crew and walking off the plane to surrender.
The hijacked Airbus A320 flight, operated by Afriqiyah Airways, was travelling from the Libyan oasis city of Sabha to Tripoli when it was diverted to Malta and landed at 11.34am local time.
Malta state television TVM said the two hijackers had hand grenades and had threatened to explode them. All flights to Malta International Airport were immediately diverted and emergency teams were sent to the airport tarmac.