Hijacked Afriqiyah Airways plane leaves Malta

The hijacked Afriqiyah Airways aircraft left Malta this afternoon, after it was released by the Maltese courts on Thursday following the completion of the magisterial inquiry.

The Afriqiyah Airways Airbus 320 Aircraft, registration number 5A-ONB, has been detained in Malta since the hijacking event, on December 23.

The aircraft departed at 3.54pm after evidence from the plane – including two black boxes, the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder – was collected.

The release of the aircraft, which now will return to the airline’s commercial network operations, has been welcomed by Afriqiyah Airways.

In a statement, Afriqiyah Airways reiterated its commitment to continue its collaboration with the Maltese authorities in relation to the investigations linked to the hijack.

Afriqiyah Airways Flight Operations Manager, Captain Shadli Abussen expressed his satisfaction at the aircraft’s release.

Capt Shadli also thanked Capt Ali Milad and the crew of flight 8U209 for the calm and competent manner in which they handled the threatening situation which developed on board of the aircraft.

“Despite the political instability in Libya, Afriqiyah Airways has continued to maintain a commitment to train its crews to the highest international standards,” he added.

“In the case of this hijack, he noted, it is evident that, the Afriqiyah crews and their Maltese counterparts managed the crisis in a really professional manner and as such should be lauded for that.”

Airline chairman Abubaker ElFortia reiterated his thanks to the Maltese government and those involved in the resolution of this situation.

The police have arraigned two Libyan nationals, Saleh, 28, and Moussa Shah Soko, 27 – both from the southern Libyan city of Sebha – and charged with hijacking and with committing acts of terrorism.

They have also been charged with being in possession of replica weapons, using violence against one of the people on board, holding people against their will, threatening the passengers, endangering the safety of the aircraft, and attempting to cause financial or economic instability to the government.

They have both pleaded not guilty and are being detained at the Corradino prisons.