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EgyptAir hijacker arrested, all passengers rescued

Athens - The hijacker had claimed to be wearing an explosives belt when he took over the plan

Read more...

By Agencies

Published: Tue 29 Mar 2016, 10:35 AM

Last updated: Wed 30 Mar 2016, 1:47 AM

An EgyptAir plane was hijacked on Tuesday while flying from the Egyptian Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria to the capital, Cairo, and later landed in Cyprus.
4:20pm
EgyptAir hijacker 'unstable': Official
The Cyprus foreign ministry said the man who hijacked an EgyptAir flight and forced it to land on the Island Tuesday, sparking a six-hour standoff before his surrender, was psychologically unstable.
"This is not about terrorism. This is about the individual action of a person who is psychologically unstable," the ministry's permanent secretary Alexandros Zenon said.
3:56pm
EgyptAir hijacker arrested
A hijacker who seized an Egyptian airliner and forced it to land in Cyprus has been detained, officials said on Tuesday.
"The hijacker has just been arrested," Cypriot government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said on Twitter, without providing further details.
A man emerged from the aircraft and then walked across the tarmac with his hands up to two awaiting counter-terrorism police officers, an AFP correspondent reported.
They laid him on the ground and searched him for around two minutes before taking him away.
The hijacker had claimed to be wearing an explosives belt when he took over the plan

 
 
3.40 PM
At least four more people leave hijacked EgyptAir plane

At least four more people left a hijacked EgyptAir plane in Cyprus, one of them by climbing out of the cockpit window, an AFP correspondent reported.

The other three were able to leave by the main door and walk down the steps.

 
Plane sent to Cyprus for return of passengers
2.40 pm
According to a statement issued by Egypt's Ministry of Civil Aviation, a plane is heading to Cyprus for the return of freed EgyptAir passengers:
Hijacker NOT Samaha
2.20 pm
Egypt government apologizes to Ibrahim Samaha for mistakenly identifying him as EgyptAir plane hijacker.
Cyprus foreign affairs ministry identifies hijacker of #EgyptAir plane as Seif Eldin Mustafa in tweet:
A press release issued by the ministry said:
Regarding the situation that is unfolding with the EgyptAir flight MSR 181 that was hijacked and diverted to Larnaka International Airport, the competent crisis management plans of the Republic of Cyprus had been initiated from the beginning of the incident. A Ministerial Committee is handling the situation at the National Crisis Center located at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Direct communication was also established between the Center and the Egyptian authorities. More detailed information will follow.
1.30 pm
4 crew, 3 passengers still on board hijacked plane, says aviation minister
The four crew members include the pilot, co-pilot, flight attendant and security officer.
1.11 pm
Officials have ruled out explosives
Cyprus authorities have informed Egypt that a search of the plane ruled out any explosives on board.
1.05 pm
EgyptAir hijacking not terrorism-related: Cyprus president
The hijacking of an EgyptAir plane to Cyprus is not related to terrorism, the island's President Nicos Anastasiades said. "The hijacking is not terrorism-related," he told a joint news conference.
12.57 pm
"Hijacker is an idiot"
 
 
12.35 pm
Hijacker wants to see wife
EgyptAir hijacker demands to see estranged Cypriot wife: Government source
 
12.30 pm
EgyptAir offers phone numbers to call for help
 
At least five more passengers released
EgyptAir hijacker demands to see estranged Cypriot wife: govt official
 
12.20 pm
First picture of the hijacker

12.05 pm
Cyprus closes airport
Cyprus closes Larnaca airport after EgyptAir hijack, flights diverted to Paphos
12.00 pm
EgyptAir hijacker demands asylum in Cyprus: State radio
11.45 am
Hijacker identified
Egyptian state TV identified the hijacker as Egyptian national Ibrahim Samaha; details about his identity were not immediately available.
Shortly after, negotiations between officials and the hijackers resulted in the release of all the passengers except the crew and four foreigners, EgyptAir posted on social media:
 
 
Press Release 1Cairo 29 March 2016 An EGYPTAIR official declared that its flight number MS181 heading from HBE...
Posted by EGYPTAIR on Tuesday, March 29, 2016
The Airbus flight number MS181 had 81 passengers on board and was flying on a regular route when the hijacking took place, the Egyptians said.
Threatens to detonate 'explosive vest'
11.30 am
The hijacker threatened to detonate an explosive vest which he said he had on board, the Egyptian civil aviation ministry said.
The airlines took to Twitter to confirm the hijacking:
 
Shortly after, the plane landed at the airport in the Cypriot coastal city of Larnaca, Cypriot officials said, adding that there were suspicions of a bomb on board.
A Cypriot official said there "seems like there's more than one hijacker."
All the officials in Egypt and Cyprus spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
 
In Pictures: An Egypt Air Airbus A-320 at Larnaca aiport after it was hijacked. #EgyptAir Pictures by AP/AFP/ReutersMore here: http://ktimes.co/kmat1
Posted by Khaleej Times on Tuesday, March 29, 2016
 
The hijacking, however, will most likely bring to the fore again the question of security at Egyptian airports, five months after a Russian aircraft crashed over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula minutes after it took off from Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
All 224 people on board were killed in the crash.
Russia later said an explosive device brought down the aircraft and the extremist Daesh group said it downed the plane.

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The hijacked EgyptAir plane
The hijacked EgyptAir plane on the runway at Larnaca airport.
First picture of EgyptAir hijacker
Agencies

Published: Tue 29 Mar 2016, 10:35 AM

Last updated: Wed 30 Mar 2016, 1:47 AM

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