EgyptAir hijack: Man held after using fake suicide belt

An Egyptian hijacker who forced a domestic flight to land in Cyprus used a fake suicide belt, officials said.

The suspect did not raise any suspicions as he passed through security at Alexandria airport

His motives remain unclear but the Cypriot president said the incident was not terrorism-related.
Footage released by Egypt's interior ministry shows the man passing through several security checks at Alexandria's Borg El Arab airport.

The drama ended with all passengers released unhurt at Larnaca airport and the man giving himself up. Cypriot officials named the hijacker as Seif Eldin Mustafa and said he was "psychologically unstable".

Cypriot security services were waiting for him

Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said Mustafa had initially asked to speak with his Cypriot ex-wife, who police brought to the airport, before making a series of "incoherent" demands. He was appearing in court in the Cypriot city of Larnaca on Wednesday.


The Egyptair plane left Larnaca at 22:05 local time (19:05 GMT) bound for Cairo, its original destination.

Questions over security

Egypt's tourism ministry insisted all airport security measures had been "fully implemented" before Egyptair Flight MS181 began its flight earlier in the day. CCTV footage released by the interior ministry shows Mustafa being frisked at two security checks and passing a slim bag through X-ray machines.

The BBC's Youssef Taha says Egypt has taken steps to improve airport security after Russian Metrojet Flight 9268 was blown up over Sinai last October. They include an extra $1bn a year and a deal with British consultancy Control Risks to review procedures at Cairo, Sharm El-Sheikh and Marsa Alam airports.

Despite this, our correspondent says checks remain inconsistent, with many VIPs and MPs refusing to be searched and airport and airline staff routinely bypassing full security screening.