The hijacking of a domestic Egyptian flight that forced it to divert to Larnaca airport in Cyprus has ended with all hostages being released and the hijacker surrendering.
EgyptAir Flight MS181 was taken over by a passenger claiming to be wearing a suicide explosive belt.
After a morning of tension, the hijacker was seen walking down the steps of the aircraft with his hands raised.
His motives remain unclear.
Some reports saying the Egyptian man – named by Cypriot officials as Seif Eldin Mustafa – wanted to talk to his estranged Cypriot wife, while others said he was seeking the release of female prisoners in Egypt.
His surrender came shortly after several people were seen fleeing the aircraft. One – apparently a crew member – escaped by climbing out of the aircraft’s cockpit window.
Throughout the morning, people had been seen leaving the aircraft after appearing to have been released.
In a tweet, Cypriot foreign ministry also confirmed that the hijack is over.
