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| EgyptAir: British man, Ben Innes, takes photo with alleged hijacker during six-hour standoff in Cyprus | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A British man who took a photo with a man who had taken his EgyptAir flight hostage sent messages to his friends bragging that he didn’t “f*** about”. | A British man who took a photo with a man who had taken his EgyptAir flight hostage sent messages to his friends bragging that he didn’t “f*** about”. |
| Ben Innes posted an image with Seif Eldin Mustafa - who was wearing the “suicide belt” later found to be fake - onboard with the flight after it had landed in Cyprus with the message “You know your boy doesn't f*** about. Turn on the news lad!!!” | Ben Innes posted an image with Seif Eldin Mustafa - who was wearing the “suicide belt” later found to be fake - onboard with the flight after it had landed in Cyprus with the message “You know your boy doesn't f*** about. Turn on the news lad!!!” |
| Mustafa allegedly hijacked the plane - which was an internal flight originally scheduled to fly between Cairo and Alexandria on Tuesday morning - and forced it into a six-hour standoff at Cyprus’ Larnaca airport. | Mustafa allegedly hijacked the plane - which was an internal flight originally scheduled to fly between Cairo and Alexandria on Tuesday morning - and forced it into a six-hour standoff at Cyprus’ Larnaca airport. |
| While there he made a series of demands including, the release of political prisoners, to see his ex-wife, to see an EU official and to be taken to another airport. | While there he made a series of demands including, the release of political prisoners, to see his ex-wife, to see an EU official and to be taken to another airport. |
| Eventually he let most of the 62 people onboard leave with the exception of several crew members and four foreigners, including Mr Innes, before surrendering. | Eventually he let most of the 62 people onboard leave with the exception of several crew members and four foreigners, including Mr Innes, before surrendering. |
| The health and safety auditor, who is originally from Leeds but lives in Aberdeen, appears to have approached Mustafa for a selfie during the incident. | The health and safety auditor, who is originally from Leeds but lives in Aberdeen, appears to have approached Mustafa for a selfie during the incident. |
| His flatmate Chris Tundogan, who received the message, told MailOnline: “I have no idea why he took the selfie but I imagine he probably volunteered to take it as he's not afraid to shy away from anything, | His flatmate Chris Tundogan, who received the message, told MailOnline: “I have no idea why he took the selfie but I imagine he probably volunteered to take it as he's not afraid to shy away from anything, |
| “I find it pretty mental but that's just Ben I guess!” | “I find it pretty mental but that's just Ben I guess!” |
| Mustafa surrendered and left the plane at around 2:20pm local time (12:20pm UK time) with his hands up and threw several items on the ground. | Mustafa surrendered and left the plane at around 2:20pm local time (12:20pm UK time) with his hands up and threw several items on the ground. |
| The hijacking has raised concerns over security at Egyptian airports just five months after a Russian aeroplane was downed after taking off from Sharm el-Sheikh killing all 224 people on board, and one aviation expert claimed the incident was a return to "the security stone age". | The hijacking has raised concerns over security at Egyptian airports just five months after a Russian aeroplane was downed after taking off from Sharm el-Sheikh killing all 224 people on board, and one aviation expert claimed the incident was a return to "the security stone age". |
| David Learmount said it appeared the captain of the flight "didn't have faith in the security systems" and felt he had to follow the hijacker's demands, resulting in the "first major successful hijack since 9/11". | David Learmount said it appeared the captain of the flight "didn't have faith in the security systems" and felt he had to follow the hijacker's demands, resulting in the "first major successful hijack since 9/11". |
| He said the captain should have been confident that it was "impossible" for someone to have got through security with a suicide belt. | He said the captain should have been confident that it was "impossible" for someone to have got through security with a suicide belt. |
| But footage has emerged of the alleged hijacker walking through a metal detector and being patted down by security before boarding the flight. | But footage has emerged of the alleged hijacker walking through a metal detector and being patted down by security before boarding the flight. |
| Additional reporting by AP | Additional reporting by AP |