A hijacker "in love" who took over an EgyptAir flight and landed it in Cyprus did it for love, reports have emerged.
The man, for reasons reportedly involving his ex-wife is keeping passengers aboard the plane on a tarmac in Cyprus amid tense negotiations.
Officials from the airline confirmed the hijacking of its flight with eight Americans from the Egyptian city of Alexandria to the country's capital, Cairo, saying that the plane was diverted from its route and flown north to the Mediteranean island.
The Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry said that the 8 a.m. flight was carrying around 55 passengers of various nationalities before it already landed at Cyprus's Larnaca Airport shortly before 9 a.m.
EgyptAir said on Twitter that one passenger was thought to have a suicide belt, though the actual presence of explosives could not be confirmed and Egyptian officials voiced doubts about the claim.
The Cypriot president's office said that the situation was not terrorism related, with another official saying that the suspect "seems (to be) in love."
Local media outlets reported that the hijacker wanted to deliver a letter his ex-wife who lives in Cyprus and was also requesting political asylum there.
Police were told to back away from the plane and the airline later said that all passengers were allowed to leave except for seven crew and five non-Egyptians.
More people were later let go, and as of early afternoon local time Egyptian authorities said there were only seven people aboard the plane, including three passengers of unknown nationality.
The eight Americans on board at take off were accompanied, 14 Europeans, a Syrian, three foreigners who could not be identified and Egyptians, according to Egyptian authorities.
Egypt’s foreign ministry described the hijacker thus: “He’s not a terrorist, he’s an idiot.”
The man was initially identified as an Egyptian professor of veterinary science. However, this man has been in contact with the media to say he was a passenger, now freed.
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