Hijacked Libyan plane lands in Malta

A hijacked plane from Libya landed on the Mediterranean island of Malta on Friday with 118 people including seven crew members on board.

The plane, an internal Libyan flight operated by Afriqiyah Airways, landed at Malta's international airport, where emergency and security personnel were waiting.

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat Tweeted that he had been 'informed' of potential hijack situation of a Libya internal flight diverted to Malta.

"Security and emergency operations standing by," he added.

In another tweet, he said that the plane was carrying 111 passengers including one infant. An additional seven crew members were on board.

The plane could be seen on the tarmac surrounded by military vehicles.

Libya later confirmed the plane had been diverted.

The Maltese Government stated that a single hijacker was on board. The hijacker said that he would release the passengers as long as his as yet unspecified demands were accepted.

The Airbus A32 on a domestic Libyan route was operated by Afriqiyah Airways from Sabha in the south to the capital Tripoli.

The plane on service from Sabha, a city in southwestern Libya, to the capital Tripoli was re-routed.

A Maltese Ministry of Foreign Affairs communications officer, Etienne Saint John, told CNN that security personnel were on the scene.

"There is an ongoing meeting at the Prime Minister's office regarding the plane," he said.