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TRIPOLI, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Most of the 118 passengers and crew have been released from a hijacked Libyan plane that was forced to divert its domestic flight to Malta on Friday, according to Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
A Libyan airplane on a domestic flight with 118 people on board was hijacked on Friday morning by two men claiming to be supporters of late leader Muammar Gaddafi, local media reported.
The hijackers, who ordered to redirect the flight to Malta, threatened to blow up the plane with a hand grenade if their demands were not met.
Details of their demands were not immediately available.
Reports say the Libyan government has formed a follow-up chamber to handle the hijack crisis.
Libyan Ambassador to Malta said that negotiations are continuing for the safety of the passengers.
The airplane belongs to the state-owned Afriqiyah Airways and was intended to fly from Sabha in southern Libya to Tripoli's Mitiga airport.
