Minister: Plane crisis dealt with carefully to ensure safety of passengers

An EgyptAir Airbus 320 flight MS181 was bound to Cairo from Borg El Arab Airport at 06:30 hours and was hijacked by a passenger who asked to direct the plane to Turkey or Cyprus, Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathi said Tuesday.

The hijacker and the pilot agreed to land in Cyprus, the minister told a press conference here on Tuesday.

The plane was carrying 50 passengers of various nationalities on board, the minister said.

At 07:05 hours, the airport authorities started to deal with the crisis and follow up the situation in the presence of Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, he said.

At 07:50 hours, the plane reached Larnaca Airport following negotiations with the hijacker who did not carry any weapons but claimed he was wearing a belt of explosives, according to well-informed sources. However, the minister suspects that it is fake.

The crisis was dealt with to ensure the safety of the passengers, the minister said.

Seven people are still held hostage inside the plane, namely the pilot, the co-pilot, a flight attendant, a security officer and three passengers, the minister said, adding that he cannot reveal the nationalities of the passengers in the meantime for security reasons.

"We are dealing with the issue of the explosives belt as being a real one and therefore the situation is being handled at the highest levels," he said.

The crisis management cell is contacting the families of the passengers and the released ones who are currently in Cyprus will be flown back home within hours on board an Egyptian flight, he added.

Source: MENA