A Libyan domestic flight carrying 118 people has landed at Malta International Airport after being hijacked.

The Airbus A320 was flying inside Libya for Afriqiyah Airways when it was diverted. There were two hijackers involved, who threatened to blow up the plane, according to initial reports.

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that security forces were standing by at the airport. The deputy mayor for Lija in Malta, Madga Magri Naudi, said that the hijackers had yet to make demands. She further added: «The request has not been made. This is a problem: we do not know what their requests are at the moment.»

Darrin Zammit Lupi, a Reuters news agency photographer based in Malta, reported he could see a number of soldiers and special forces vehicles at the scene. Ms Magri Naudi said paramedics and soldiers were standing by to see «what the next step is». A special committee meeting was taking place to address the situation, she added.

In the meantime, Malta International Airport has been closed and all flights have been diverted. The airport said emergency teams had been dispatched.