In what can be described as “divine intervention,” a plane carrying intending Hajj pilgrims from Libya to Saudi Arabia was forced to make two emergency landings due to technical faults midair—before eventually taking onboard a “blessed” pilgrim, Amer Al Mahdi Mansour Al Gaddafi.
Gaddafi — a young man from Libya — left his house with the intention of performing Hajj — the fifth pillar of Islam — but trouble struck at the airport when he was held back at immigration due to a security delay linked to his surname — Al Gaddafi — still flagged in some systems over a decade after Libya’s civil unrest, Gulf News reported.
While his companions boarded the flight, Gaddafi was still being held at the counter. Despite his pleas, the flight captain reportedly insisted on departing without him, citing security uncertainty and scheduling constraints.
However, Gaddafi’s faith remained unshaken. “I will not leave this airport until I depart for Hajj,” he told the airport authorities.
Shortly after takeoff, the plane developed a technical malfunction and was forced to return. After a delay and minor repairs, it took off again, only to encounter a second issue, forcing another return.
According to passengers and crew, it was after the second emergency landing that the captain announced: “I swear I won’t fly again unless Amer is with us on this plane.”
Authorities swiftly cleared Gaddafi for travel. On the third attempt, with Amer aboard, the flight departed without incident.
“I only wanted to go to Hajj,” Gaddafi later said on local media. “And I believed that if it was written for me, no force could prevent it.”
