Updated - Pierre Baldacchino, the Maltese hospital manager rescued last Tuesday after being abducted in Tripoli, was reunited with his family as he arrived back in Malta this evening.
Accompanying him on board the flight from Mitiga were Saint James Hospital chairman Josie Muscat and international director Jean Claude Muscat.
Mr Baldacchino was flown back to Malta hours after a new video emerged of his rescue after he was held by an unknown Libyan group for a week.
In a brief statement, the embassy representing the recognised Libyan government (based in the East) , which was involved in coordinating Mr Baldacchino’s return, congratulated him for his release and his safe return to celebrate Christmas with his family..
“The Embassy also presents its cordial congratulations to him, his family and to all the Maltese people for continued happiness and peace, and its wishes for a lasting friendship between Malta and Libya.”
An observer of the Libyan scene said this was a unique example of East-West cooperation in Libya.
The new video which emerged this morning showed Mr Baldacchino's rescue after he was held by an unknown Libyan group in Tripoli for a week.
It shows the armed and masked members of the so-called Radda special forces climb over walls and storm a room where Mr Baldacchino, manager at Saint James Hospital in Tripoli, was held, with his hands bound.
The clip shows emotional scenes as he realised he was being rescued.
Mr Baldacchino then gives an account of how he was abducted and describes his rescuers as "angels".
The Libyan man who sent the video to Times of Malta, identified only as Mohamed said:
"I have lived in Malta since 2012. I'd like to say sorry to all Maltese people and my dear Pierre and his family for what happened to him and his family."