An airliner on an internal flight in Libya with 118 people on board has been diverted to Malta in a "potential hijack situation", Malta's Prime Minister tweeted. 

Two hijackers threatened to blow the passenger plane up, local media reports.


The pilot of Afriqiyah Airways plane told Malta control tower that aircraft had been hijacked, security official says. Negotiating team on standby awaiting instructions from Prime Minister.

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.

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat tweeted: "Informed of potential hijack situation of a #Libya internal flight diverted to #Malta. Security and emergency operations standing by."

The pilot of the Afriqiyah Airways plane had told the control tower there that the aircraft had been hijacked, a senior security official at the airport said.

Malta's state television reported two hijackers on board had threatened to blow the plane up, and that they had hand grenades.