Hijacked Egyptian Airplane Forced To Land In Cyrpus

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LARNACA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (CBS NEWS) - An EgyptAir plane was hijacked on Tuesday by a single assailant with unclear motives.

EgyptAir flight MS181, flying from the Egyptian Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria to the capital, Cairo, was diverted and landed safely in Larnaka, Cyprus.

The jet had 81 passengers on board and was flying on a regular domestic route when the hijacking took place, Egyptian officials said. There was conflicting information about the total passenger count from the airline, however, suggesting fewer travelers.

The airline said a passenger threatened pilot Omar al-Gammal during the flight, telling him he had a suicide belt, and demanded the plane be re-routed.

EgyptAir said in a tweet that negotiations with the hijacker had lead to the release of all passengers on board with the exception of four non-Egyptian nationals. Negotiations were ongoing.

See more on this breaking story from CBS News.

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