Libya, which has always been the land of unique stories, has just experienced another remarkable saga, which occurred in the southern city of Sabha.
A Libyan man who missed his flight to Mecca has triggered amazement at the Sabha International Airport, after he managed to stop the plane midair forcing it back to the terminal, twice.
The local man, Amir Mansuri Al Gaddafi, was among the lucky few selected through the Libyan government’s Hajj quota raffle, a program that offers subsidized pilgrimage trips to Mecca for those who cannot afford the high private costs.
Amir became one of the fortunate Hajj trip winners.
However, as he arrived at Sabha Airport, ready to board his flight to Mecca, he was stopped by airport security for a routine check.
The investigation took too long, and by the time he was cleared, his flight had already departed. The plane captain had refused to delay the takeoff any further, and Amir was left behind.
Though later declared completely clear, Amir had missed his chance, and with Hajj flights nearly fully booked, the chances of catching another were slim.
Friends and officials told him it was over. But Amir refused to leave the airport. He waited, hoping for a miracle.
Then, something unexpected happened!
The same flight returned to Sabha due to a minor technical issue.
Amir was filled with hope and rushed to ask again to board. But the pilot denied his request, stating that no passengers could be added in the manifest and that the delay was too minor to reopen boarding.
The plane took off again without him.
Still, Amir didn’t give up. He stayed at the airport, determined to find a way to reach Mecca.
And then, something extraordinary happened again! It was an incident that may be unheard of in global aviation history.
The same flight was forced back to the airport once again, as the technical problem had not been fully resolved.
But this time, the captain stepped off the plane himself and personally invited Amir Mansuri to board.
Amir was warmly welcomed by the crew and passengers, many of whom clapped and congratulated him.
At last, the plane departed with Amir on board.
There were no further mishaps with the plane and Amir arrived safely in Mecca, ready to perform his long-awaited pilgrimage.
Most people who experienced the issue ​at both the Sabha Airport and in the plane, swore that Amir had managed to stop his runaway plane in midair, forcing it back on ground to pick him up.
But when at first the captain refused to take him on board, Amir did it again, he forced the aircraft back to terminal and when the pilot eventually picked him up, the plane flew smoothly to Mecca.
For others though, it is a story of determination, faith, and destiny and a reminder that sometimes, miracles happen when you simply refuse to give up.