EgyptAir hijack: What we know

A suspected hijacker who took several hostages on board an EgyptAir plane, forcing it to divert to Cyprus, has now been arrested.

Here is what we know about the incident.

  • Where was the hijacking?

EgyptAir confirmed one of its planes had been "officially hijacked" at 7.46am.

Flight MS181 was carrying 56 passengers and had been due to fly from Alexandria to Cairo.

The aircraft was forced to land at Larnaca airport in Cyprus.

  • How many people were taken hostage?

Women and children were told they could leave the plane first. Credit: Reuters

At around 8.15am, EgyptAir said negotiations with the hijacker had resulted in the release of all passengers, except for the crew and five passengers.

The crew included the captain, his co-pilot, a stewardess and a security officer.

Four British nationals were on board the hijacked plane, the Foreign Office confirmed.

One man was later filmed escaping the plane through the cockpit window.

  • Was the suspect wearing a suicide vest?

A man wearing what later turned out to be a fake suicide vest.

The alleged hijacker claimed to be wearing a suicide vest.

But authorities later said the belt was fake.

  • Did a hostage take a selfie with the hijacker?

The picture taken with the alleged EgyptAir hijacker.

A man who appeared in a picture with the EgyptAir hijacker while being held hostage is believed to be a 26-year-old Brit from Leeds.

Benjamin Innes is said to have posed with Seif Eldin Mustafa for a 'selfie' -but it later emerged someone else had taken the photo.

His mother Pauline said: "The picture is not as everyone is describing.

"You can clearly see that it is not Ben who is taking the picture. He's in it but he's not taking it.

"We don't want to speak about anything until he's back home."

A man thought to be the hijacker leaves the plane. Credit: Reuters
  • What was the motive?

These CCTV images appear to show Mustafa going through airport security in Egypt. Credit: PA

The motive for the hijacking remains unclear but Cyprus president Nicos Anastasiades said it was "not something which has to do with terrorism".

Some reports suggested the incident was related to the alleged hijacker's ex-wife, while others reported he was asking for the release of political prisoners in Egypt.

He also appeared to issue conflicting demands, with Egypt's prime minister Sherif Ismail saying the man had asked to meet European Union officials but also to fly on to another airport.

An Egyptian official was quoted as saying: "He's not a terrorist, he's an idiot. Terrorists are crazy but they aren't stupid. This guy is."

  • Arrest and name confusion

Seif Eldin Mustafa is led away after being arrested. Credit: ITV News

The hijacking ended at 12.45pm when the suspect was arrested.

He was initially named by Egyptian authorities as university professor Dr Ibrahim Samaha.

But a man by that name denied having anything to do with the hijacking, saying he was a passenger who was among those released.

The hijacker has now been officially named as Seif Eldin Mustafa but his nationality has not been confirmed.

All passengers and crew emerged unharmed by the ordeal.

  • Major security breach?

Security concerns have now been raised following the hijacking. Credit: Reuters

An aviation expert said the hijacking was the ""first major successful hijack since 9/11".

David Learmount said it appeared the captain "didn't have faith in the security systems" and felt he had to follow the hijacker's demands.

He added the captain should have been confident that it was "impossible" for someone to have got through security with a suicide belt.

"It is taking us back to the security stone age - pre-9/11 when we had lots and lots of regular hijacks, because the drill at that time was 'do what the hijacker asks of you and we will deal with it with negotiators on the ground'."