The Sudanese authorities have arrested a man who tried to hijack a plane flying from Libya to Sudan on March 30, police said.

The hijacker attempted to take a Sudanese Airlines plane flying from Tripoli to Khartoum, a police statement said.

The man was identified as Said Faloun, 39, a Sudanese national.

Said broke into the cockpit during the flight and threatened the crew with a knife. He forced the plane to fly to South Africa, the statement said.

The crew dealt with the hijacker "in a quiet, wise and responsible manner" and security officials arrested him when the plane landed at Khartoum airport, it said.

The motive for the hijacking remains unknown.