LIBYA live blog February 23

Reporting by Karl Stagno-Navarra, Matthew Vella, Miriam Dalli and Nestor Laiviera.

February 22 live blog

21:29 Government sources say there is "no indication" that Aisha Gaddafi was on board the LAA plane that was refused landing permission in Malta, and denied earlier reports that Libyan warships had been outside Maltese waters. Around 83 Maltese remain in Libya waiting to be evacuated from desert outposts and Benghazi. Plans to charter private aircraft and put Maltese aboard 'Chinese flotilla' to evacuate those over 1,000kms away from Tripoli.

18:21 Government released a statement from Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs - not OPM - to deny it had "made any communication" with Al Jazeera on Aisha Gaddafi reports, but no denial on communication between civil aviation and OPM over requests by LAA plane to land with Gaddafi daughter on board.

18:01 Libyan ambassador was brought in for negotiations when Libyan ATR 42 plane was circling Malta, low on fuel. Plane is believed to have been carrying Aisha Gaddafi. Plane was diverted back to Libya.

MaltaToday has reconfirmed with OPM source that Gaddafi's daughter was claimed to be on board by pilot asking for permission to land in Malta.

16:45 Government sources have confirmed that a Libyan Arab Airlines plane carrying Aisha Gaddafi, the daughter of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, has been denied permission to land by civil aviation authorities. The plane is reportedly running low on fuel after having been denied landing at Beirut, Lebanon.

[deleted reference to training flights circling above Malta]

16:31 Libyan Arab Airlines ATR 42 has been reported to be carrying Aisha Gaddafi, the daughter of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi after having been refused landing at Beirut, Lebanon. Armed Forces of Malta have been dispatched to the MIA runway. Civil Aviation Authorities are negotiating landing of plane believed to be carrying 14 people on board.

16:23 LAA liner ATR42 circling Malta as civil aviation authorities deny permission to land.

16:17 Some Maltese citizens still stuck in desert villages over 1,000km away from Tripoli. Libyan authorities gave the plane 2 permits in error and are now withholding both until they sort out their own mistake. Plane was ordered from Croatia. "Maltese are scared to drive up through the desert for fear of being shot at as well as the fact that many have got lost en route," planetmona.com says.

16:17 A Libyan airforce plane has crashed near Benghazi after the crew bailed out, the country's Quryna Newspaper reports. The newspaper said the crew had orders to bomb Benghazi, but refused to carry them out.

15:23 Reports of Maltese workers at oil processing plant, 1,200km from Tripoli, who were not given permission by Libyan civil aviation authorities to board private aircraft commissioned by their relatives; and were denied boarding on another plane commissioned by another oil company.

15:02 Reports from foreign ministry sources confirm that Maltese citizens will also be evacuated on board of US-chartered Virtu Ferries catamaran at the Shabab port in Tripoli.

14:58 Rachel Zammit Cutajar in Attard says protestors outside Libyan embassy are not sure if there is anyone inside the Libyan embassy. Some 60 protestors have turned up, some with their faces painted in the colours of the pre-revolutionary Libyan flag. Police have been outside the embassy since 7am and say they will stay on until midnight if necessary. "So far the protests have been peaceful and no problems have been reported."

14:26 Two Virtu' Ferries catamarans arrive in Tripoli for the evacuation of American nationals. Catamarans Maria Dolores and San Gwann left Malta during the night, chartered by the US State Department. Departure from Tripoli for Malta is not expected before 5 pm

14:20 British Royal Air Force Hercules transport aircraft lands in Luqa for the evacuation of British nationals from Libya amid growing criticism of UK government efforts to get Britons out.

14:01 Eyewitness video of patrolling mercenaries

13:38 Two Irish defence forces planes sent to evacuate up to 40 Irish citizens are still in Malta this afternoon. The planes left Ireland last night and arrived in Valletta about nine hours ago. The Department of Foreign Affairs, which is coordinating the evacuation plan, said the planes are still waiting to receive landing permits from Libyan authorities before flying to Tripoli and there is no indication as to when that approval will be granted.

13:09 Eyewitness reports from Audioboo LISTEN HERE

13:02 Human Rights Watch reports random shootings against protestors in Tripoli, while sources from two hospitals in Tripoli said at least 62 bodies, victims of clashes, had been brought into their morgues since February 20. On February 22, one man told Human Rights Watch by Skype that he could see men driving around shooting at passers-by in the Ben Ashour neighbourhood of Tripoli.

12:30 Some 183 Maltese nationals are in Tripoli where they are expected to be shortly leaving. An unspecified number of Maltese are in Benghazi, but the foreign ministry says there is “no government control” in this region and that the ministry is in contact with them.

Another 9 Maltese are in a desert area of Libya and arrangements are underway for a direct flight to the nearest airport. Another 9 Maltese nationals are in a desert outpost called Waha, and have started their journey to Tripoli. Other Maltese around Libya, and offshore Libya, have been contacted.

12:20 A source in Tripoli has told MaltaToday via Skype that it was relatively quiet today in Tripoli as the pro Government people are trying to get people out onto the streets to demonstrate in favour of the government "but there is little response". He also heard that the people in the Eastern side of the country are trying to get together a "million man march" which they will head for Tripoli. He also said that the pro-Government "guards are stationed at hospitals removing the dead and taking them to unknown places."

12:03 Thousands of UK and US nationals are expected to be evacuated from Tripoli. Earlier, two Jat Airways airplanes left for Tripoli in order to start evacuating Serbian citizens. A third flight is also planned. Serbian officials said that the three flights will bring back some 500 people, with women and children the first to be evacuated. Estimates show that between 1,000 and 1,500 Serbians live and work in Libya. According to available information, none have been hurt in the ongoing violence. Serbians will be evacuated from Tripoli, Benghazi and Ras Lanuf.

The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situation will help with bringing Serbian citizens home from Benghazi and Ras Lanuf, where they have been working for Russian companies.

11:29 Reports that Italian warships have sailed just off Maltese waters. They are the Fenice from the Italian Comando delle Forze da Pattugliamento per la Sorveglianza e la Difesa Costiera COMFORPAT and the Bettica from COMSQUAPAT 2. Earlier, the Chimera was patrolling the area.

10:00 The U.S. State Department was not able to land charter planes in Tripoli to fly out U.S. citizens because Libyan authorities did not give permission for those aircraft to land, a senior administration official said Tuesday. So, the State Department was chartering a ferry to take travellers from central Tripoli's As-shahab port to Valletta, Malta, on Wednesday.

Via Twitter, the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs says U.S. citizens wishing to leave Libya should go to As-shahab Port as soon as possible after 9 am and arrive no later than 10 am

"U.S. government chartered ferry will depart for Valletta, Malta no later than 3 p.m. on Wednesday," the bureau said via Twitter.

08:45 Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party asks Maltese government to freeze any assets the Libyan dictator and his family might have in Malta and to intervene with the French government as regards French armaments.

Earlier, an Air Malta flight from Tripoli landed following considerable delays. Those abroad were glad to be back, and recounted their experiences at the chaotic Tripoli Airport.