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| EgyptAir Hijacking Suspect Arrested in Cyprus After Standoff | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| CAIRO — A man claiming to be wearing an explosive vest hijacked an EgyptAir plane on Tuesday morning, forced the pilot to land it in Cyprus, and then demanded that he be allowed to speak with his ex-wife, who lives there, before he finally surrendered to the authorities, officials said. | CAIRO — A man claiming to be wearing an explosive vest hijacked an EgyptAir plane on Tuesday morning, forced the pilot to land it in Cyprus, and then demanded that he be allowed to speak with his ex-wife, who lives there, before he finally surrendered to the authorities, officials said. |
| “It’s over,” the Cypriot Foreign Ministry announced at 2:41 p.m., after a standoff that lasted more than five hours, shutting down the country’s busiest airport and raising jitters about terrorism. | “It’s over,” the Cypriot Foreign Ministry announced at 2:41 p.m., after a standoff that lasted more than five hours, shutting down the country’s busiest airport and raising jitters about terrorism. |
| Most of the 72 people on board were released after the flight was diverted en route to Cairo from Alexandria, but for several hours the plane stayed on the tarmac at Larnaca International Airport, on the southern coast of Cyprus, with the hijacker and seven or eight other people still on board. They were eventually freed — or escaped, in one case, by leaping from a cockpit window — and, shortly afterward, the hijacker surrendered. The Egyptian government sent a military plane to Cyprus to bring the passengers back home. | Most of the 72 people on board were released after the flight was diverted en route to Cairo from Alexandria, but for several hours the plane stayed on the tarmac at Larnaca International Airport, on the southern coast of Cyprus, with the hijacker and seven or eight other people still on board. They were eventually freed — or escaped, in one case, by leaping from a cockpit window — and, shortly afterward, the hijacker surrendered. The Egyptian government sent a military plane to Cyprus to bring the passengers back home. |
| Cypriot and Egyptian officials identified the hijacking suspect as Seif Eldin Mustafa, an Egyptian citizen who used to live in Cyprus. He had told the pilot that he was wearing a suicide belt and threatened to detonate it. No explosives were found on the plane, the Cypriot police said. | Cypriot and Egyptian officials identified the hijacking suspect as Seif Eldin Mustafa, an Egyptian citizen who used to live in Cyprus. He had told the pilot that he was wearing a suicide belt and threatened to detonate it. No explosives were found on the plane, the Cypriot police said. |
| Mr. Mustafa’s motivations were unclear, but they did not appear to be primarily political. Ioannis Kasoulides, the foreign minister of Cyprus, said that Mr. Mustafa had presented a letter calling for the release of female prisoners in Egypt and for a meeting with his ex-wife. As he talked with officials, he added to his confusing list of demands, but was increasingly incoherent, Mr. Kasoulides said. | Mr. Mustafa’s motivations were unclear, but they did not appear to be primarily political. Ioannis Kasoulides, the foreign minister of Cyprus, said that Mr. Mustafa had presented a letter calling for the release of female prisoners in Egypt and for a meeting with his ex-wife. As he talked with officials, he added to his confusing list of demands, but was increasingly incoherent, Mr. Kasoulides said. |
| Mr. Mustafa’s ex-wife visited the airport and helped persuade him to surrender, the state broadcaster reported. She declined to talk to journalists on Tuesday. | Mr. Mustafa’s ex-wife visited the airport and helped persuade him to surrender, the state broadcaster reported. She declined to talk to journalists on Tuesday. |
| The initial, conflicting reports about the crisis from Egyptian officials — who for a time mistakenly identified another passenger as the hijacker — raised fresh questions about Egypt’s aviation security six months after a bomb brought down a Russian airliner in the Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board. | The initial, conflicting reports about the crisis from Egyptian officials — who for a time mistakenly identified another passenger as the hijacker — raised fresh questions about Egypt’s aviation security six months after a bomb brought down a Russian airliner in the Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board. |
| Apparently anticipating such criticism, Egypt’s Interior Ministry released images from surveillance video that appeared to show the hijacker walking through a metal detector and being searched at the airport before boarding the flight. | Apparently anticipating such criticism, Egypt’s Interior Ministry released images from surveillance video that appeared to show the hijacker walking through a metal detector and being searched at the airport before boarding the flight. |
| The passenger who had been mistakenly identified as the hijacker — Ibrahim Samaha, a professor of veterinary medicine from the University of Alexandria — later called the BBC and described what had unfolded. | The passenger who had been mistakenly identified as the hijacker — Ibrahim Samaha, a professor of veterinary medicine from the University of Alexandria — later called the BBC and described what had unfolded. |
| “We had no idea what was going on,” Mr. Samaha said of the flight. “After a while, we realized the altitude was getting higher, then we knew we were heading to Cyprus. At first the crew told us there was a problem with the plane, and only later did we know it was hijacked.” | “We had no idea what was going on,” Mr. Samaha said of the flight. “After a while, we realized the altitude was getting higher, then we knew we were heading to Cyprus. At first the crew told us there was a problem with the plane, and only later did we know it was hijacked.” |
| In a statement on its Facebook page, EgyptAir identified the flight as MS181 and said it had left Borg el-Arab Airport in Alexandria at 6:30 a.m. After some confusion about the number of people on board, officials said the plane was carrying 56 passengers; 15 EgyptAir employees, including seven crew members; and a security officer. | In a statement on its Facebook page, EgyptAir identified the flight as MS181 and said it had left Borg el-Arab Airport in Alexandria at 6:30 a.m. After some confusion about the number of people on board, officials said the plane was carrying 56 passengers; 15 EgyptAir employees, including seven crew members; and a security officer. |
| Hosni Hassan, a senior official at Borg el-Arab Airport, said by telephone that a majority of the passengers were Egyptian but that they also included citizens of seven other countries, including Belgium, Greece, Italy and the United States. | Hosni Hassan, a senior official at Borg el-Arab Airport, said by telephone that a majority of the passengers were Egyptian but that they also included citizens of seven other countries, including Belgium, Greece, Italy and the United States. |
| Cypriot officials said the hijacker had initially demanded that the plane fly to Turkey but had then agreed to let it land in Cyprus, after pilots told him they did not have enough fuel for a longer flight. | Cypriot officials said the hijacker had initially demanded that the plane fly to Turkey but had then agreed to let it land in Cyprus, after pilots told him they did not have enough fuel for a longer flight. |
| Within a few hours of the plane’s landing at Larnaca International Airport, the crisis looked as if it might come to an early conclusion. | Within a few hours of the plane’s landing at Larnaca International Airport, the crisis looked as if it might come to an early conclusion. |
| Video from the airport showed passengers walking down the stairs from the plane, an Airbus A320, and walking a short distance across the tarmac at Larnaca International Airport before boarding a bus. Many were walking calmly and carrying their luggage. | Video from the airport showed passengers walking down the stairs from the plane, an Airbus A320, and walking a short distance across the tarmac at Larnaca International Airport before boarding a bus. Many were walking calmly and carrying their luggage. |
| The president of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiades, told reporters he believed the hijacking was not linked to terrorism. He and other Cypriot officials portrayed the hijacker as a psychologically disturbed man who had seized the plane in a bid to reunite with his ex-wife. “It’s all to do with a woman,” Mr. Anastasiades said. | The president of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiades, told reporters he believed the hijacking was not linked to terrorism. He and other Cypriot officials portrayed the hijacker as a psychologically disturbed man who had seized the plane in a bid to reunite with his ex-wife. “It’s all to do with a woman,” Mr. Anastasiades said. |
| But then the crisis deepened as police officers at the Larnaca airport moved back news media crews and cleared nearby restaurants. Members of the security forces took positions around the airport, and snipers moved into place. | But then the crisis deepened as police officers at the Larnaca airport moved back news media crews and cleared nearby restaurants. Members of the security forces took positions around the airport, and snipers moved into place. |
| Cypriot officials reported that Mr. Mustafa, as well as demanding to speak with his ex-wife, wanted the release of unspecified female prisoners from jail in Egypt — a demand that raised the prospect of a political aspect to his actions. | Cypriot officials reported that Mr. Mustafa, as well as demanding to speak with his ex-wife, wanted the release of unspecified female prisoners from jail in Egypt — a demand that raised the prospect of a political aspect to his actions. |
| After a tense few hours, as negotiators spoke with Mr. Mustafa, several hostages managed to leave the plane — three via an airport stairway and a fourth through a cockpit window. Live television pictures showed a man using a rope to climb out and onto the tarmac and then running to safety. | After a tense few hours, as negotiators spoke with Mr. Mustafa, several hostages managed to leave the plane — three via an airport stairway and a fourth through a cockpit window. Live television pictures showed a man using a rope to climb out and onto the tarmac and then running to safety. |
| A photo taken sometime during the episode aboard the plane showed one of its passengers, Ben Innes, smiling while posing next to Mr. Mustafa, who appears to be wearing an explosive belt. Mr. Innes reportedly sent the image to a friend before it was widely shared online. | |
| Shortly after the passengers were able to exit the plane, Mr. Mustafa disembarked with his hands up. He was searched by two Cypriot officials and taken into custody. | |
| Cypriot news reports, citing local officials, said that Mr. Mustafa, 59, was a former Egyptian Army officer who had married a Cypriot, and that they had had five children, including a daughter who died in a car crash. He lived in Cyprus until 1994. | Cypriot news reports, citing local officials, said that Mr. Mustafa, 59, was a former Egyptian Army officer who had married a Cypriot, and that they had had five children, including a daughter who died in a car crash. He lived in Cyprus until 1994. |
| The Egyptian authorities sent planes to pick up the freed passengers and return them to Egypt, where they were to be welcomed by Prime Minister Sherif Ismail. Cyprus-bound flights were being diverted to Paphos Airport, the country’s second-busiest airport, as the crisis unfolded, but by late afternoon, flights to Larnaca had resumed. | The Egyptian authorities sent planes to pick up the freed passengers and return them to Egypt, where they were to be welcomed by Prime Minister Sherif Ismail. Cyprus-bound flights were being diverted to Paphos Airport, the country’s second-busiest airport, as the crisis unfolded, but by late afternoon, flights to Larnaca had resumed. |
| In a statement, the office of the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, expressed appreciation to Cyprus for resolving the crisis peacefully, which he said was a product of the “deep and distinct friendship between the two countries.” Mr. Sisi called Mr. Anastasiades to thank him. | In a statement, the office of the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, expressed appreciation to Cyprus for resolving the crisis peacefully, which he said was a product of the “deep and distinct friendship between the two countries.” Mr. Sisi called Mr. Anastasiades to thank him. |
| Aviation security in Egypt has been under scrutiny since a Russian airliner crashed shortly after taking off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Oct. 31, killing all 224 on board. A local affiliate of the Islamic State said it had brought down that plane with a bomb. Russia and Egypt attributed the crash to terrorism, although an Egyptian-led investigation has yet to publish its findings. | |
| That crash dealt a crippling blow to Egypt’s tourism industry, a crucial source of foreign currency, and contributed to a 20 percent drop in the value of the Egyptian pound in recent months. Sharm el-Sheikh and other Red Sea resorts have been largely deserted this winter, with many hotels reporting occupancy rates as low as 5 percent. | |
| Sharm el-Sheikh is a popular destination for British tourists. The British government has given Egypt a list of 25 security improvements required in order for British flights to resume to the resort. | |
| But British officials say that senior government officials, including Prime Minister David Cameron, have been reluctant to authorize a resumption of flights. | But British officials say that senior government officials, including Prime Minister David Cameron, have been reluctant to authorize a resumption of flights. |