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EgyptAir hijack: Larnaca negotiations continue | EgyptAir hijack: Larnaca negotiations continue |
(35 minutes later) | |
Most of the passengers and crew who were on board a hijacked Egyptian plane diverted to Cyprus have been freed. | Most of the passengers and crew who were on board a hijacked Egyptian plane diverted to Cyprus have been freed. |
EgyptAir Flight MS181 was taken over after a passenger claimed to be wearing a suicide explosive belt. | EgyptAir Flight MS181 was taken over after a passenger claimed to be wearing a suicide explosive belt. |
Cypriot officials have named him as Seif Eldin Mustafa. Reports say he wants to talk to his estranged wife in Cyprus, and the Cypriot president says the hijack is not a terrorist incident. | Cypriot officials have named him as Seif Eldin Mustafa. Reports say he wants to talk to his estranged wife in Cyprus, and the Cypriot president says the hijack is not a terrorist incident. |
But others say he is demanding the release of female prisoners in Egypt. | But others say he is demanding the release of female prisoners in Egypt. |
Egypt's Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy told a news conference that seven people remained on board the jet. | |
Live updates | Live updates |
Sherif Fathy identified them as the pilot, the co-pilot, a female stewardess, a security officer and three passengers whose nationalities he refused to divulge. | Sherif Fathy identified them as the pilot, the co-pilot, a female stewardess, a security officer and three passengers whose nationalities he refused to divulge. |
But later EgyptAir tweeted that nine people remained on board, including three passengers and the hijacker, with a separate statement from the airline mentioning that "four foreign passengers" were still on board. | |
And the latest pictures from the scene showed four people leaving the aircraft - one of whom appeared to jump from a cockpit window. The other three were able to leave by the main door and walk down the steps. | |
A statement from the civil aviation ministry said the 26 foreigners originally on board included eight Americans, four Britons, four Dutch citizens, two Belgians, two Greeks, a French national, an Italian and a Syrian. Three other foreigners could not be identified. | |
Mr Fathy said negotiations with the hijacker - who had made no specific demands - were continuing, and that it was unclear whether the hijacker had taken explosives on board or was bluffing. | Mr Fathy said negotiations with the hijacker - who had made no specific demands - were continuing, and that it was unclear whether the hijacker had taken explosives on board or was bluffing. |
An aircraft was being sent to Larnaca to pick up the passengers who had been released, Mr Fathy added. | An aircraft was being sent to Larnaca to pick up the passengers who had been released, Mr Fathy added. |
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said: "We are doing our utmost in order for everyone to be released and safe." | Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said: "We are doing our utmost in order for everyone to be released and safe." |
In response to a reporter's question about whether the hijacker was motivated by romance, he laughed and said: "Always there is a woman involved." | In response to a reporter's question about whether the hijacker was motivated by romance, he laughed and said: "Always there is a woman involved." |
Local media reports say the hijacker handed over a four-page letter in Arabic after the plane landed at Larnaca, and that a woman thought to be his wife is currently being questioned by police at the airport. | |
EgyptAir said the Airbus A320 was carrying 56 passengers from Alexandria to Cairo, along with six crew and a security official. It had earlier said 81 passengers were on board. | EgyptAir said the Airbus A320 was carrying 56 passengers from Alexandria to Cairo, along with six crew and a security official. It had earlier said 81 passengers were on board. |
Larnaca airport, on the south coast of Cyprus, has been closed and scheduled flights diverted elsewhere. | Larnaca airport, on the south coast of Cyprus, has been closed and scheduled flights diverted elsewhere. |
Are you at Larnaca airport? Have you been you affected by this story? Email us: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Are you at Larnaca airport? Have you been you affected by this story? Email us: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
Or use the form below | Or use the form below |