Mission to free Libyan hostages reaches Malta

A heavyweight delegation of foreign office diplomats and military personnel arrived on Malta on Monday in a bid to negotiate the release of the three-strong Dutch helicopter crew being held in Libya.


Sources confirmed the presence of diplomatic mission on Tuesday, according to press reports. They did not say whether the delegation will fly on to the Libyan capital Tripoli.
The team is thought to include the secretary general of the foreign affairs ministry Ed Kronenburg and army officials. Kronenburg built up good contacts with the Libyan authorities after the plane crash there last year in which dozens of Dutch nationals were killed.
The three crew members were snatched by forces loyal to president Gadaffi in late February during an attempt to evacuate two European nationals from the town of Sirte.

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