Passengers onboard hijacked Egypt's plane (Image from Internet)
Nicosia (IINA) – Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said the hijacking incident of Egyptian passenger plane, which landed at Larnaca Airport in Cyprus on Tuesday, was not related to terrorism.
The latest reports on Tuesday's hijacking contradict earlier statements by President Anastasiades and other Cypriot security sources, suggesting the hijacker's motives were personal and linked to an ex-wife who lived in Cyprus, according to Reuters.
There was also some confusion over the identity of the hijacker. Egypt's official state news agency MENA initially named him as Egyptian national Ibrahim Samaha but later said the hijacker was called Seif Eldin Mustafa.
Cyprus state TV said that the hijacker wanted to contact his ex-wife, who is Greek-Cypriot and lives in Larnaca.
Witnesses told Cyprus Mail newspaper that he threw a letter on the apron of the airport in Larnaca, written in Arabic, asking that it be delivered to his ex-wife, who was reportedly on her way to the airport to participate in the negotiations.
After the aircraft landed at Larnaca airport, the hijacker released everyone onboard except three passengers and four crew following negotiations, Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy said.
AB/IINA
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