Cyprus, Mar 29 (Agencies) : The hostage situation on the tarmac came to a dramatic end just before 1pm as one of the pilots was seen struggling with someone inside cockpit before jumping out of a window, moments before authorities arrested Mustafa.

The hijacker, identified as Seif Eldin Mustafa, is seen wearing his 'suicide belt', as an unknown man standing next to him on the plane pulls a silly face while taking a selfie

The last remaining hostages, all non-Egyptian men, were seen running over the tarmac before the hijacker gave himself up.

Mustafa disembarked the plane at around 14.40 local time with his hands up and threw some items on the ground, which were picked up by police and are being examined.

Alexandros Zenon, Secretary of the Cypriot Foreign Ministry, did not immediately have more details on the arrest, but added that the hijacker appeared to be 'mentally unstable'.

The moment the EgyptAir plane hijacker gave himself up

In the wake of his arrest, Cypriot authorities were able to determine that Mustafa's suicide belt had been a fake.

The hijacker, identified as Seif Eldin Mustafa, is seen wearing his 'suicide belt', as an unknown man standing next to him on the plane pulls a silly face while taking a selfie

Seif Eldin Mustafa is seen approaching a military vehicle with his hands in the air after leaves the hijacked Egyptair Airbus A320 at Larnaca Airport

Mustafa is seen leaving leaves the plane before surrendering to security forces after a six-hour standoff on the tarmac at Larnaca airport

'According to security sources received from Cyprus Authorities at Larnaca International Airport, which stated that the explosive belt that the hijacker allegedly said that he was wearing, is fake,' EgyptAir said in a statement.

His arrest followed a comment by an Egyptian Foreign Ministry official, who said: 'He's not a terrorist, he's an idiot. Terrorists are crazy but they aren't stupid. This guy is.'

This image shows the moment Seif Eldin Mustafa hands over the letter intended for his ex-wife, as a female airport official stands with her head in her hands

During the hostage situation on the tarmac, Mustafa made a series of erratic requests, including asking to meet with representatives of the European Union, and to be taken to other airports.

A picture from the tarmac shows the moment the attacker hands over a four-page letter intended for his ex-wife, as a female airport official stands with her head in her hands.

While initially not making any demands beyond his ex-wife and asylum, the hijacker reportedly asked for the release of female prisoners in Egypt, the Cyprus state broadcaster reported.

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades told reporters the incident appeared to be motivated by personal reasons and 'is not terrorism-related'

Asked about reports that the hijacker had demanded to see a Cypriot woman, Anastasiades laughed and said: 'Always there is a woman.'

Police spokeswoman Nicoletta Tirimou said the letter handed to officials is written in Arabic, and is being translated, adding that the man's ex-lover had arrived at the airport and that the couple had children.

Egypt's civil aviation minister Sharif Fathi, said at a press conference that there has been confusion over the identity of the hijacker, after government officials gave the man's name as Ibrahim Samaha.

EgyptAir hijack drama ends - 'Suicide belt' man arrested, passengers freed

Egypt's civil aviation minister Sharif Fathi, said at a press conference that there has been confusion over the identity of the hijacker, after government officials gave the man's name as Ibrahim Samaha.

However, this was later retracted, with the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs naming him as Seif Eldin Mustafa - and the Egyptian government issuing an apology.

Cyprus, Mar 29 (agencies) : The hostage situation on the tarmac came to a dramatic end just before 1pm as one of the pilots was seen struggling with someone inside cockpit before jumping out of a window, moments before authorities arrested Mustafa.

Alexandros Zenon, the permanent Secretary of the Foreign Ministry, did not immediately have more details on the arrest, which ended a five-hours-long drama at the Larnaca airport.

Earlier, seven more people - presumed to be the last of the crew and 'foreign' passengers who had remained with the hijacker onboard - were seen leaving the plane.

His arrest followed a comment by an Egyptian Foreign Ministry official, who said: 'He's not a terrorist, he's an idiot. Terrorists are crazy but they aren't stupid. This guy is.'

Cyprus police have evacuated a stretch of beach near the tarmac, as at least four more people were allowed to leave the plane shortly after midday, with one man seen climbing out of the cockpit
Terrified passengers run away from hijacked EgyptAir plane

A picture from the tarmac shows the moment the attacker hands over a four-page letter intended for his ex-wife, as a female airport official stands with her head in her hands.

While initially not making any demands beyond his ex-wife and asylum, the hijacker reportedly asked for the release of female prisoners in Egypt, the Cyprus state broadcaster reported.

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades told reporters the incident appeared to be motivated by personal reasons and 'is not terrorism-related'

Asked about reports that the hijacker had demanded to see a Cypriot woman, Anastasiades laughed and said: 'Always there is a woman.'

Police spokeswoman Nicoletta Tirimou said the letter handed to officials is written in Arabic, and is being translated, adding that the man's ex-lover had arrived at the airport and that the couple had children.

Egypt's civil aviation minister Sharif Fathi, said at a press conference that there has been confusion over the identity of the hijacker, after government officials gave the man's name as Ibrahim Samaha.
However, this was later retracted, with the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs naming him as Seif Eldin Mustafa - and the Egyptian government issuing an apology.

EgyptAir MS181, carrying 62 people, including eight Brits and ten Americans, was en-route from Alexandria to Cairo when it was hijacked, forcing it to land on Cyprus.

Negotiations with the hijacker during the morningt resulted in the release of a majority of the hostages, except for the crew and four foreigners, EgyptAir said.

The hijacking of the plane, carrying 55 passengers and a crew of seven, was confirmed by EgyptAir on Twitter at 7.40am GMT.

Flight MS181 took off from the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria en route to Cairo with at least 55 passengers, including 26 foreigners, and a seven-member crew.

Earlier news

Hijacker is not a terrorist, he is an idiot : Egyptian govt

Cairo, Mar 29 (Agencies) : The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has rubbished claims that the hijacking is an act of terrorism, stating: 'Terrorists are crazy but they aren't stupid - this guy is'.

Airport officials are onboard the plane and have yet to find any explosives, as Samaha's ex-wife is said to be making her way to Larnaca.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement : 'He's not a terrorist, he's an idiot. Terrorists are crazy but they aren't stupid. This guy is,' according to journalist Ruth Michaelson.

Egyptian media reports that Samaha has dual US-Egyptian citizenship, and is a professor of veterinary medicine at Alexandria University who has taught in America.

According to an Alexandria University staff website, his full name is Ibrahim Abdel Tawab Samaha, and his specialises in health food control of milk and dairy products.

Man wearing suicide vest hijacks EgyptAir, lands in Cyprus

Cairo, Mar 29 (Sources): The man holding 11 people, including four 'foreigners', hostage on an Egyptian passenger jet at a Cypriot airport after hijacking the plane with a suicide vest is demanding to give a letter to his ex.

Ibrahim Samaha, 27, has asked negotiators for political asylum - and to be able to give a letter to his Cypriot ex-wife, local state television reports.

EgyptAir MS181, carrying 62 people, including eight Brits and ten Americans, was en-route from Alexandria to Cairo when it was hijacked, forcing it to land at Larnaca airport, Cyprus.

Negotiations with the hijacker has since resulted in the release of a majority of the hostages, except for the crew and four foreigners, EgyptAir said.  

The hijacking of the plane, carrying 55 passengers and a crew of seven, was confirmed by EgyptAir on Twitter at 7.40am GMT.

The plane diverted to Cyprus after a man on the flight threatened to detonate a belt or a vest containing explosives, Egypt's civil aviation authority said.

This picture reportedly show hijacker Ibrahim Samaha, 27, has asked negotiators for political asylum - and to be able to give a letter to his Cypriot ex-wife, local state television reports

An official boards a hijacked Egyptair A320 Airbus at Larnaca Airport in , Cyprus, to negotiate with the hijacker, who has since been identified as Ibrahim Samaha

Egyptian newsite Youm7 is reporting that the attacker told the pilot to fly to Turkey but was told they did not have enough fuel.

Emergency landing: The Egypt Air jet was en-route from Alexandria to Cairo when it was reportedly hijacked

Hijackers demanded that authorities leave the runway 'in order to release women and children 
passengers', former EU Commissioner for Education, Androulla Vassiliou, tweeted.

One armed hijacker took control of the Airbus A320 at 8.30am (6.30am GMT), police spokesman Andreas Angelides said.

The hijacking occurred in Cyprus's flight information region and the airliner was diverted to Larnaca, where the plane currently sits on the runway.

Questions have been raised as to how the hijacker was able to embark on the plane wearing the suicide vest.

Egyptian authorities promised to tighten airport security in the wake of the downing of a Russian Metrojet airplane in October last year, where all 224 passengers died.

Investigations later found that explosives had been smuggled onto the Airbus A321-231, most likely at Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport, Egypt, before take-off.