The two hijackers who forced a Libyan passenger plane to divert to Malta have surrendered and are asking for political asylum there.
Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat also confirmed that all the 111 passengers aboard the plane have been released.
The hijackers had told crew he was “pro-Gaddafi” and that he was willing to let all the passengers leave the Airbus A320, but not with its seven crew, if his demands were met.
It was unclear what the demands were or whether the hijackers acted alone.
The captain of the plane had informed the control tower that there were threats of blowing it up with a home-made explosive device.
Former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed in an uprising in 2011, and the country has since then been racked by factional violence.
According to Muscat, the passengers included 82 men, 28 women and one infant.
The foreign minister of Libya’s internationally backed Government of National Accord, Taher Siala, said the hijackers said they want to set up a pro-Gaddafi political party.
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