Region | Sudan

Sudan plane hijackers release all passengers, still hold crew

All passengers aboard a hijacked plane forced to land in Libya have been released, but seven crew members are still being held, Libya's Civil Aviation Authority said on Wednesday.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 08:50 August 27, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Hijackers forced the plane to land in Libya for refuelling.
  • Image Credit: AP
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Tripoli: All passengers aboard a hijacked plane forced to land in Libya have been released, but seven crew members are still being held, Libya's Civil Aviation Authority said on Wednesday.

"We can confirm that all the plane passengers have been freed by the hijackers," a top official from the Authority said.

Libyan state news agency Jana quoted Mohamed Shlibek, the head of the authority, as saying: "Negotiations are continuing with the hijackers in order to free the remaining crew members and for the hijackers to give themselves up."

Earlier on Wednesday, Sun Air's executive manager Mortada Hassan said: “At the moment there is no information on why the man hijacked the plane. The only demands we know about are for food and fuel and to allow the plane to fly to France."

Hijackers forced the Sudanesee plane to land in Libya earlier on Wednesday, demanding it be refuelled so that it could fly on to Paris, Jana said, quoting the head of the airport at Kufrah.

Jana, quoting Khaled Sassia, head of the airport in southeastern Libya, said, "The pilot relayed to the airport head that the hijackers do not want any negotiations and they have only one demand, that the plane be refuelled to go to Paris."

The hijackers asked for maps to guide their flight path from Kufrah to Paris, it added.

Jana said, "The pilot also informed the airport director that the hijackers numbered 10 before he came back to say their number could be more than that."

The hijackers dismissed offers by Libyan authorities to provide the passengers with food.

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