Somebody just blow the fin off the aircraft, much easier to deal with the situation in Cyprus than a re-fuelled airbus with a range that could cause untold damage somewhere else!

The hijacker has asked to talk to a woman from a nearby village. He hand a 4 pages latter to the authorities and the woman is already at the airport to speak to him.

Just couple days after Egyptians claim that security check was improved after Kogalymair...

Allegedly, he is a Libyan formerly married to a Cypriot (the recipient of the letter).

In the last 10 days I have been through security at Alexandria, Cairo and Hurghada. In every case security was very high, body searches, repeat hand luggage scanning. I just cannot see how a vest or anything remotely explosive based could get through at any of those airports using the pax boarding route.

Press Release 1
Cairo 29 March 2016

An EGYPTAIR official declared that its flight number MS181 heading from HBE Airport (Borg El- Arab Airport in Alexandria) to Cairo Airport was already diverted to Larnaca airport in Cyprus as the aircraft was hijacked. The aircraft is an Airbus A320 with 56 pax onboard in addition to 7 crew members and one EGYPTAIR security member. The aircraft landed safely at Larnaca
EGYPTAIR confirms that it is following up with the concerned authorities in Cyprus through EGYPTAIR IOCC and negotiations are undergoing with the hijacker.
EGYPTAIR will update you with any news within one hour.

source: https://www.facebook.com/EGYPTAIR/po...86655934683903

Sky News is reporting that Samaha (the hijacker) "requested to land in Turkey but fuel shortage led to the plane having to land in Cyprus."

Officially described as 'not a terrorist - a love-sick idiot'.
EgyptAir hijacker at Cyprus airport 'wants to contact ex-wife' ? live | World news | The Guardian

RTlive showed footage of pax boarding a transit bus.

Claims the hijacker wants a letter to be given to his ex-wife who lives in Larnaca. Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades says Egypt plane hijacking not related to "terrorism"

Also reported the hijacker holds U.S citizenship and is a Professor of veterinary medicine at the University of Atlanta, United States. :confused:

Here in Cyprus it is being reported that the Cyprus president, Anastasiades ruled out terrorism being behind the hijacking confirming instead that it had been instigated by a love-sick man bent on reuniting with his former Cypriot wife. “It’s all to do with a woman,” said the Cypriot president. “We are doing everything to release the hostages.”

While officials at Egypt’s ministry of foreign affairs responded to reports that the hijacker’s motives are personal, saying they were aware of the reports that he is seeking asylum and discussing his ex wife. “He’s not a terrorist, he’s an idiot. Terrorists are crazy but they aren’t stupid. This guy is,” they said.

Cyprus Mail updated with the official announcement from Egypt Air

http://cyprus-mail.com/2016/03/29/hi...a-police-says/

All pax & Crew now safely off the A/C. The only person remaining on the A/C is the hijacker. As an aside, David Learmont interviewed on BBC2 as an 'aviation expert' saying the Egyptair Capt. was "at fault for believing the hijacker really had an explosive belt & that he should have had faith in airport security & just carried on to his destination". Bet he didn't have any family on that flight!!

That's all right then ... whatever the reason it's a hijack and the consequences should be the same.

Wasn't there a situation in the UK (Stansted I believe a number of years ago) where the hijackers were eventually given leave to remain. Utter lunacy.

If I understand it correctly this man was in the FD; anyone clarify that? If that's right how on earth did that happen?

For Egyptian aviation to survive this man will need to be made an example of - I do not foresee a happy end for him.

I see contradictory messages, first he would liked to be landing in Turkey and now suddenly it seems to be a love story with a landing in LCLK. If so, this makes it perfectly clear why she is his ex-wife.

From the BBC News Website

"Aviation expert David Learmont tells the BBC that the pilot should not have followed the hijacker's instructions.

'We are seeing something extraordinary. That captain who accepted, just on being told that somebody on board had a suicide vest, should have had sufficient confidence in the security services to know that that was impossible and therefore he should not have followed the instructions of the hijacker.'

David Learmont
Aviation expert"

And what he presented as a proof of his intent to harm the plane if they not obey?

I suspect that the passengers on the Russian aircraft brought down out of Sharm had the same confidence as David Learmount in Egyptian security procedures. Glad to hear that this appears not to have been a 'terrorist' incident and that apparently all crew and pax released.

From the Guardian, about the press conference by the Egyptian aviation minister:

Why, the minister is asked, did the plane’s captain yield to the demands of a hijacker who might possibly have had a fake suicide belt? That, he responds, is a matter for a later investigation, once the urgent situation is over. The press conference ends.

That makes a lot more sense than Mr Learmount's daft suggestion.

I'm no airline captain, but I know even less about analysing alleged suicide belts ...

That's me personally saying that, but exactly the same thoughts should occur to Mr L. I thought airline pilots were taught to assess risk, and then scrupulously avoid it. Prat.

Blimey, now they are saying it is politically motivated.

Any link to that jortheo? Almost every report of this incident here says something different, about the hijacker, his 'wife', the passengers ...

Latest from BBC: -

Hijacker demands release of prisoners in Egypt.

3 passengers still on board.

Edit: - Hijacker now asking for asylum in Cyprus.