A man has emerged from a hijacked Libyan jet waving a flag associated with the late former leader, Muammar Gaddafi, during a stand-off in Malta.

The man appeared after most of the 118 people on board had been released from the Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A320, reports the BBC.

The domestic flight was hijacked in the morning after taking off from Sabha, bound for the Libyan capital Tripoli.

At least one man claiming to have a hand grenade threatened to blow up the plane, according to local reports.

The flag-waving man is then understood to have gone back inside the passenger plane.

Initial information suggests the hijacker is trying to claim political asylum in Malta, the mayor of Sabha, Colonel Hamed al-Khayali, told the BBC.

However, a Libyan television station which says it interviewed a hijacker said he wanted to promote a new pro-Gaddafi party.
** Libya Plane with 118 passengers hijacked

BDST: 2056 HRS, DEC 23, 2016
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