Malta: Libyan Plane Presumed to be Hijacked Has Landed  

Valletta: Malta airport says a Libyan plane has landed at the Mediterranean island and that there appear to be two hijackers on board.

The Malta airport authority said all emergency teams had been dispatched to the site of what it called an "unlawful interference" on the airport tarmac.

Earlier, Malta's prime minister Joseph Muscat said in a tweet that there was a "potential hijack situation" involving an internal Libyan flight that was diverted to Malta and that emergency operations are underway at the airport.

Airport officials said the Afriqiyah Airways A320 flight has 118 passengers on board.

Libya confirmed the plane had been diverted.

Malta International Airport tweeted: "MIA confirms there is an unlawful interference at the airport. Emergency teams dispatched".

The plane could be seen on the tarmac surrounded by military vehicles and all flights have been cancelled. Maltese government sources told AFP that a single hijacker was on board and had told crew that he had a grenade.

The hijacker said he would release the passengers as long as his as yet unspecified demands were accepted.

Libya has been in a state of chaos since the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi left warring militias battling for control of different parts of the country.

(AP)