An EgyptAir airliner has been hijacked and forced to divert to Larnaca airport on the south coast of Cyprus. Flight MS181, an Airbus A320 carrying 81 passengers from Alexandria to Cairo, was taken over by at least one hijacker. A passenger who said he was wearing a suicide belt ordered the flight crew to divert to Cyprus, EgyptAir said. Cypriot police said those in control of the aircraft had made no immediate demands after it landed. Larnaca airport has been closed and scheduled flights diverted elsewhere. A Cypriot government official says the hijacked plane landed on Tuesday morning at the airport in Larnaka and that there are suspicions of a bomb on board.
A second Cypriot official says there “seems like there’s more than one hijacker.” He says there have been no demands other than that police vehicles move away from the aircraft. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity under regulations. The statement from the Egyptian aviation authority says the MS181 is an Airbus and that it has 55 passengers on board and five crew members.
