A man who was reported missing in Libya has been located - on the same ship on which he had left Malta.

Roger Muscat, 49 of St Paul's Bay had left Malta for Libya on July 23 on the MV Atlant but the ship did not berth in Tripoli as expected and it is now expected back in Malta in three days' time.

The man's brother, Jimmy,  reported Roger missing yesterday when nothing was heard from him since his departure. However this evening he told Times of Malta that Roger had called home - just minutes after his absence was reported on the media.

Mario Cutajar, who heads the government's Libya crisis centre, said earlier that Roger Muscat, a former public transport worker, left for Libya to take up a new job on July 21 and no news has been heard of him since. The last signal on his mobile phone was on July 23 in or off Libya.

The Maltese authorities were informed that he was missing only yesterday.

No faction has reported kidnapping him and no one has demanded a ransom.

Mr Cutajar said Mr Muscat had travelled to Libya when the travel advice was not to go to the country.

BROTHER'S COMMENTS

Jimmy Muscat told Times of Malta that Roger had told him he would go to Libya to try a new job on board a vessel at sea. He had said he would be away from trouble and told his brother not to worry.

It was understandable that communication at sea was difficult, but since ships had radio communications, Jimmy Muscat said he expected some sort of contact from his brother. He said a two-week delay was too long and that was why he had alerted the police given the circumstances in Libya.