Unidentified people run off the hijacked Egyptair Airbus A320 at Larnaca Airport in Larnaca, Cyprus, March 29, 2016. (Reuters Photo)
CAIRO:
Cypriot authorities have determined that the belt worn by an Egyptian man who hijacked an EgyptAir plane on Tuesday did not contain explosives, Egypt's Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement.
"Security in Cyprus confirmed that the explosive belt worn by the man who hijacked the plane was fake," it said.
Cyprus' foreign ministry identified the hijacker as Seif Eldin Mustafa. He was taken into custody after he released all the passengers and crew.
His surrender ended an hours-long drama and standoff at the Larnaca airport in southern Cyprus. The hijacker had earlier freed most of the passengers but kept seven people - four crew members and three passengers - with him.
Just minutes before the arrest, local TV footage from the airport showed several people disembarking from the aircraft and a man who appeared to be a crew member climbing out of the cockpit window and sliding down the side of the plane.
"Security in Cyprus confirmed that the explosive belt worn by the man who hijacked the plane was fake," it said.
Cyprus' foreign ministry identified the hijacker as Seif Eldin Mustafa. He was taken into custody after he released all the passengers and crew.
His surrender ended an hours-long drama and standoff at the Larnaca airport in southern Cyprus. The hijacker had earlier freed most of the passengers but kept seven people - four crew members and three passengers - with him.
Just minutes before the arrest, local TV footage from the airport showed several people disembarking from the aircraft and a man who appeared to be a crew member climbing out of the cockpit window and sliding down the side of the plane.
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