there were 26 foreigners on board, including eight Americans, four Britons, four Dutch, two Belgians, a French national, an Italian, two Greeks and one Syrian.
LARNACA:
The hijacker of an EgyptAir airplane that was diverted to Cyprus on Tuesday has asked for the release of female prisoners in Egypt, the Cyprus state broadcaster reported.
All but seven people on board the aircraft, which was travelling from Alexandria to Cairo, have been released. The pilot had reported that the hijacker was strapped with explosives, but Egyptian authorities have not confirmed this. (5 Pics)
Cyprus' foreign ministry on Tuesday identified the hijacker of an EgyptAir flight forced to land in Cyprus as Seif Eldin Mustafa in a tweet. It did not provide further details.
"The situation is still ongoing," it said. Earlier, two Cypriot broadcasters reported the hijacker had dropped a letter on the apron of Larnaca airport that appeared to be demanding the release of prisoners in Egypt.
Earlier there was some confusion over the identity of the hijacker.
Eyptian state media named him as Ibrahim Samaha, an Egyptian, but gave no other details about him.
However, Gamal al-Omrawi, a deputy dean at Alexandria Unversity, said that Samaha was a passenger on the plane and not the hijacker. He said he had spoken by phone to Samaha, who confirmed that he was one of the passengers who was released.
The Egyptian plane on a flight between Alexandria and Cairo was hijacked and forced to land in Cyprus by the man apparently distressed over a family matter.
After the EgyptAir plane landed at Larnaca airport, the hijacker released all the people onboard except three passengers and four crew members following negotiations, EgyptAir said.
Citing security sources, Cypriot state media said that the motives of the hijacker appeared personal and he had asked to contact his ex-wife, who lives in Cyprus.
"It is not something which has to do with terrorism," Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades told reporters.
Asked if a woman was involved he said "There is always a woman involved."
All but seven people on board the aircraft, which was travelling from Alexandria to Cairo, have been released. The pilot had reported that the hijacker was strapped with explosives, but Egyptian authorities have not confirmed this. (5 Pics)
Cyprus' foreign ministry on Tuesday identified the hijacker of an EgyptAir flight forced to land in Cyprus as Seif Eldin Mustafa in a tweet. It did not provide further details.
"The situation is still ongoing," it said. Earlier, two Cypriot broadcasters reported the hijacker had dropped a letter on the apron of Larnaca airport that appeared to be demanding the release of prisoners in Egypt.
Earlier there was some confusion over the identity of the hijacker.
Eyptian state media named him as Ibrahim Samaha, an Egyptian, but gave no other details about him.
However, Gamal al-Omrawi, a deputy dean at Alexandria Unversity, said that Samaha was a passenger on the plane and not the hijacker. He said he had spoken by phone to Samaha, who confirmed that he was one of the passengers who was released.
The Egyptian plane on a flight between Alexandria and Cairo was hijacked and forced to land in Cyprus by the man apparently distressed over a family matter.
After the EgyptAir plane landed at Larnaca airport, the hijacker released all the people onboard except three passengers and four crew members following negotiations, EgyptAir said.
Citing security sources, Cypriot state media said that the motives of the hijacker appeared personal and he had asked to contact his ex-wife, who lives in Cyprus.
"It is not something which has to do with terrorism," Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades told reporters.
Asked if a woman was involved he said "There is always a woman involved."
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