In what is being called a "miracle", the youngster did not suffer any life-threatening injuries, just broken bones.

Some 93 passengers and 11 crew were on board flight 8U771 from Johannesburg. Fifty-eight of the passengers were Dutch and six South Africans.

There were two British passengers, two Libyans, two Austrians, one German, one French national and one Zimbabwean.

The nationalities of 19 other passengers have not yet been revealed but the 11 crew are known to have been Libyan.

The Airbus A330, operated by Libyan carrier Afriqiyah Airlines, crashed as it tried to land at Tripoli airport before disintegrating. Terrorism has been ruled out.

The boy was taken to a hospital in Tripoli where he underwent surgery for multiple fractures in both legs. Doctors later said he was out of danger.

Footage broadcast on Libyan state TV showed him in a hospital bed, wearing a breathing mask.

He appeared to be conscious, and the only visible sign of any injury was a bandage around the top of his head.

The plane was scheduled to continue its flight to London's Gatwick Airport after a brief stop in Tripoli.

Shortly before the crash the pilot had contacted the control tower to ask them to alert emergency services because there was a problem with the jet, reports said.

The Foreign Office in London has set up a hotline for concerned relatives and friends to call. It is 020 7008 8765. Afriqiyah Airlines can be reached at 0203 355 2737.