A EgyptAir flight carrying 81 passengers has been hijacked and diverted to Cyprus, reported Bloomberg.
Flight MS181 from Alexandria to Cairo left at 8 am this morning after which it was hijacked, the report said.
The report quoted an unnamed spokesperson of the airline as saying that the hijacker had asked for the flight to land in Cyprus.
A statement from EgyptAir in Arabic said that the pilot perceived a threat to the aircraft due to a passenger having a belt filled with explosives for a suicide bombing.
Negotiations are presently on with the hijacker, said the statement. Only one hijacker is believed to be on board presently. Reports from Cyprus media said that the hijacker was letting women and children disembark from the plane.
The aircraft later landed at the Larnaca airport in Cyprus. However, it is isn’t known if the hijacker has made any demands and what the condition of the passengers and crew is.
Featured image: Representational image/ AFP