The airspace over the western part of Libya could be closed in the coming days, possibly as early as today, Libyan sources told Times of Malta.

The area controlled by Libya is split in two sectors: the east, which is handled from Benghazi, and the west, managed from Tripoli.

Sources in the capital said the western airspace could be closed today although the authorities were trying to hold out at least until next week.

The escalation of violence over the past two weeks and the attack on Tripoli airport, in which most of the infrastructure was pulverised, put air traffic management in crisis.

Flights have been leaving daily from the military Mitiga airport but they have been handled on a “case by case” basis. One source said: “Nobody is being clear. We don’t even know where the airspace is being managed from. It could be something ridiculous like someone’s flat in Tripoli.”

Should flying limitations be further extended, evacuations could become even more difficult.

A private jet arrived from Libya yesterday. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Six Maltese fly to safety

Only yesterday, four airplanes arrived from Tripoli. Two were carrying evacuees, one with 19 people, six of them Maltese, and another with 37 passengers on board, 26 of them EU nationals. The other two planes were only carrying crew.

A request was made for an air-ambulance to fly to Luqa from Misurata with two injured men but there was no confirmation about its arrival at the time of writing.

The situation is escalating by the day. In the eastern city of Benghazi, about 38 people were killed in clashes between troops loyal to the Libyan government and Islamist fighters, the worst fighting since the civil war in 2011.

In the west, a British Embassy convoy heading towards Tunisia was hit by gunfire during an attempted hijacking outside the capital. Nobody was injured as the bullet-proof embassy vehicle shielded the passengers, who were being evacuated.

In a press conference yesterday, the head of the civil service, Mario Cutajar, said the government was bracing for an influx, expecting the situation to get worst now that Ramadan had ended.

The government has been advising about 100 Maltese citizens, who were contacted individually, to leave the country but, so far, they had decided to stay put.

He gave no new information on the fate of former army captain Martin Galea, the 42-year-old oil worker who was abducted on July 17 outside Tripoli.

Mr Cutajar said he would not comment because it might jeopardise Mr Galea’s safety.

“The situation is evolving. This crisis is different from that in 2011 because, while the Maltese government could then communicate with the Libyan council, the situation this time is more complicated and we are communicating with different sources on the ground,” he said.

“We have drawn up different plans for all eventualities, including where to accommodate an influx of people and to what level can we cater for injured people,” Mr Cutajar said.

Reception areas, including at Ta’ Kandja and other centres, have been cleared in the eventuality of mass evacuations and the government was also in contact with air traffic control and port coordination at Grand Harbour to ensure enough space for vessels ferrying with evacuees, without disrupting commercial activities.

The government contingency centre – made up of the Office of the Prime Minister, the home affairs, the foreign affairs and the health ministries, the police and the army – has, for the past two weeks, been meeting every day as the situation escalated.

About the Maltese Embassy in Tripoli, Mr Cutajar said this was being manned by the ambassador and two consuls from one instead of two buildings.

We have drawn up different plans for all eventualities, including where to accommodate an influx and to what level can we cater for injured people

He would not say whether any Libyan minister or MP was in Malta but said the security forces were monitoring all arrivals and departures.

Two Libyans, in their 20s, who were brought to Malta on Saturday for medical treatment at Mater Dei Hospital remained stable. One is critical and the other is grievously injured. They are being treated in a section set up specifically for such cases.

Mr Cutajar said the government was in talks to set up hospital ships in case of a surge of medical cases. Contacts were also made with the Red Cross about the possibility of setting up tents.

The nurses’ union has called on the government not to bring injured Libyans to Malta, arguing that the hospital neither had the beds nor the nurses necessary to cope with an influx of such patients.

Malta has joined the Arab League, the EU and the US in expressing concern and calling for a ceasefire.

During the conflict that had ousted Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi three years ago, Malta played a vital role both in evacuating people from Libya and hosting injured Libyans.