Afriqiyah Airways Flight 209

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Afriqiyah Airways Flight 209
Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A320-214-2666 - Flickr - Ragnhild & Neil Crawford.jpg
5A-ONB, the aircraft involved in the hijacking, photographed in September 2016
Hijacking
Date23 December 2016 (2016-12-23)
Summary Hijacking
Site Malta International Airport, Luqa, Malta
Aircraft
Aircraft type Airbus A320-214
Operator Afriqiyah Airways
IATA flight No.8U209
ICAO flight No.AAW209
Call signAfriqiyah 209
Registration 5A-ONB
Flight origin Sabha Airport, Libya
Destination Mitiga International Airport, Libya
Occupants118
Passengers111
Crew7
Fatalities0
Survivors118

Afriqiyah Airways Flight 209 was a domestic passenger flight from Sabha to Tripoli, Libya that was hijacked on 23 December 2016 and made a forced landing in Luqa, Malta. The flight was operated by Afriqiyah Airways, Libya's state airline, and carried 111 passengers: 82 males, 28 females and one infant. [1] The two hijackers later released all of the hostages and surrendered to the authorities. [2]

Contents

Aircraft

The aircraft involved was an Airbus A320-214, registration 5A-ONB, msn 3236. The aircraft was equipped with two CFM International CFM56 engines. [3]

Hijacking

The aircraft, carrying seven crew and 111 passengers, [3] had taken off from Sabha International Airport at 08:10 local time and was due to land at Tripoli at 09:20. [4] The two hijackers threatened to blow up the aircraft with hand grenades, according to Malta state television. [2] One hijacker declared himself to be "pro-Gaddafi" and that he would release all passengers, but not the crew, if his unknown demands were accepted. [2] The pilots had tried to land in Libya, but the hijackers refused their request. [2] The aircraft was forced to land at Malta International Airport at 11:32 am local time. [1] The aircraft's engines were still running after it was surrounded by the Maltese military. [5] One hijacker was reported to have appeared at the aircraft door waving a large green flag similar to the Libyan flag under Gaddafi. [6] He then put the flag down and returned inside. [6]

Response

Negotiating teams were placed on standby and Maltese military units arrived at the airport. [2] Upon landing, at least 25 passengers had been released by the two hijackers, and negotiations were held. [5] Following the release of all passengers and crew, the hijackers, Suhah Mussa and Ahmed Ali, surrendered to the Maltese authorities and were taken into custody. [7]

Aftermath

On 2 December 2020, Suhah Mussa was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment and fined €9,990 after he pleaded guilty to the charges against him. [8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Developing story: Hijacked Libyan plane lands in Malta; hijackers threaten to blow up aircraft". Times of Malta . 23 December 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Libyan plane hijack: Two hijackers 'with grenades threaten to blow up' Afriqiyah Airways flight in Malta". The Daily Telegraph . 23 December 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Hijacking description". Aviation Safety Network . Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  4. ↑ "Libya Malta hijack: First passengers released at airport". BBC News Online. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Libyan Afriqiyah Airways plane landed in Malta 'may be hijacked', says Maltese PM". The Independent . 23 December 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Libyan plane hijack ends peacefully in Malta". Al Jazeera. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  7. ↑ "Hijackers release passengers after seizing Libyan Afriqiyah Airways flight". Sky News. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  8. ↑ "Plane hijacker jailed 25 years, fined €10,000". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2 December 2020.

35°51′27″N014°28′39″E / 35.85750°N 14.47750°E / 35.85750; 14.47750

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