Reuters, 29/03 14:45 CET
By Yiannis Kourtoglou and Nadia El Gowely
LARNACA, Cyprus/CAIRO
(Reuters) – An EgyptAir plane flying from Alexandria to Cairo was
hijacked and forced to land in Cyprus on Tuesday but the passengers and
crew were freed unharmed and the hijacker, whose motives remained a
mystery, was arrested after giving himself up.
Eighty-one people, including 21 foreigners and 15 crew,
had been onboard the Airbus 320 flight when it took off, Egypt’s Civil
Aviation Ministry said in a statement.
Conflicting theories emerged about the hijacker’s
motives, with Cypriot officials saying early on the incident did not
appear related to terrorism but the Cypriot state broadcaster saying he
had demanded the release of women prisoners in Egypt.
After the aircraft landed at Larnaca airport,
negotiations began and everyone onboard was freed except three
passengers and four crew, Egypt’s Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fethy
said.
Soon after his comments, Cypriot television footage
showed several people leaving the plane via the stairs and another man
climbing out of the cockpit window and running off.
The hijacker then surrendered to authorities.
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Source: Euronews
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