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EgyptAir plane hijacked, Egyptian aviation authorities say EgyptAir plane hijacked, Egyptian aviation authorities say
(35 minutes later)
LONDON — Egyptian aviation officials said Tuesday an EgyptAir plane has been hijacked on a flight from Alexandria to Cairo with at least 55 passengers aboard. CAIRO — An Egyptian passenger plane on the domestic leg of a flight carrying at least 60 people was hijacked to Cyprus Tuesday, according to the country’s civil aviation authority.
A Cypriot government official said the hijacked plane — MS181 — landed at Larnaka airport and that there were suspicions of a bomb on board. Egypt Air flight MS 181 was flying from the northern Egyptian city of Alexandria to the capital, Cairo, and was scheduled to land at 7.15 am. Instead, the plane was diverted by one or more hijackers to Larnaca, Cyprus, and there are suspicions of a bomb aboard, a Cypriot government official told the Associated Press.
EgyptAir tweeted that its flight was “officially hijacked” and said a statement would be sent out soon. Egypt Air tweeted that its flight was “officially hijacked.” Later, it tweeted that “negotiations with the kidnappers resulted in the release of all the passengers, except the crew and four foreigners.”
The flight started out in Saudi Arabia before making a stop in Alexandria, the BBC reported. It was not clear how many people got on or off in Alexandria. Passengers were seen disembarking from the flight at Larnaca airport carrying luggage. Unconfirmed early reports said American and British citizens were aboard the flight.
A Cypriot official said there “seems like there’s more than one hijacker,” the Associated Press reported. He says there have been no demands other than that police vehicles move away from the aircraft, AP said. The flight started out in Saudi Arabia before making a stop in Alexandria, news reports said. It was not clear how many people got on or off in Alexandria.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity under regulations, according to the AP. A Cypriot official said there seemed like there was “more than one hijacker,” the Associated Press reported. Reports said a passenger threatened the pilot with an explosive during the flight.
The Egyptian aviation authority said the plane was also carrying five crew members. As of late morning in Egypt, it was unclear why the hijackers seized the plane, and what their demands are. A statement from the Egyptian aviation authority said the plane is an Airbus and that it was carrying 55 passengers and five crew members.
If the hijacker was able to get on the flight with an explosives belt or other kind of arms, it would be a major embarrassment to the Egyptian government and highlight the lingering concerns among aviation authorities and analysts of the country’s poor security at airports.
The hijacking arrive as militant attacks in Egypt have surged in recent years, driving tourists and foreign investors away as the government struggles to revive the economy.
Egypt’s American-backed military is battling an Islamic State affiliate in the country’s northern Sinai Peninsula. In October, a Russian passenger plane was brought down over the Sinai by a bomb planted aboard, an attack that was claimed by the Islamic State.
Deane reported from London.
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