A prominent Maltese businessman escaped unhurt after the car transferring him to the airport was caught in crossfire just outside Tripoli last week.

The man, who asked not to be named, told The Sunday Times he was travelling in a black saloon car convoy when the incident happened last Saturday.

Fighters from the Zintani brigade, who control the airport, were expecting an attack from another group of fighters connected to the new Libyan government, headed by well-known ­commander Khalifa Belgasim Haftar.

The international airport is a “prize” that is still being fought for by various groups of fighters who are vying for control and power in post-Gaddafi Libya.

“The Zintantis were waiting on a bridge, armed with anti-tank missile launchers and other weapons. They thought we were part of Haftar’s entourage and fired at our car with Kalashnikovs,” the Maltese businessman said.

The driver still managed to escape the brigade, even though the engine had been hit. “We drove for our lives. Luckily, no one was hurt.”

Eventually, the car broke down and the group managed to flag down a car which took them to the airport from a different direction. The airport is some 40 km away from Tripoli centre and the incident happened in the middle of the journey.

According to news reports, Haftar’s fighters were just behind the business convoy and the two groups of fighters engaged in a shootout which later led to the closure of the airport. The businessman, who has since recovered from the shock of the incident, said that everyone going to Tripoli should be aware there is still a lot of unrest and safety risks.

“Tripoli is the big prize so everyone is trying to gain as much control as possible. Benghazi and Misurata are very calm and safe by comparison.”