A Maltese man airlifted to Malta from Libya suffered “accidental” gunshot injuries, sources have told Times of Malta.

Matthew Dingli, 31, from Kappara was brought to Malta from Libya by air ambulance on Wednesday night in critical condition.

Mr Dingli was found injured in his Tripoli apartment and sources told Times of Malta no foul play was suspected. He was not involved in any altercation.

The man lived in the troubled Libyan capital, where he partly owned a business. The government said all the Libyan authorities cooperated fully for the victim to be evacuated.

In a statement, the government said it had not yet been established how the incident happened and was not in a position to independently verify the facts.

He was not involved in any altercation

Mr Dingli had given this newspaper an interview in 2011, having remained in Tripoli during the six-month conflict that ousted Muammar Gaddafi.

He had been exuberant that the conflict was finally over saying: “It feels so good... even the fact that we can have this conversation. I was very scared before... people were being taken away [to prison)]from everywhere. I was afraid to say certain things, even on e-mail.”

Mr Dingli had then said he planned to stay in Libya and hoped to see it turn into a thriving country.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the Maltese authorities were working independently to verify the dynamics of the case. Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said he was also closely following the case.