‘Unstable’ Hijacker Arrested After 5-Hour Hostage Situation

The EgyptAir hostage situation has now ended, with the arrest of an Egyptian national who terrified passengers on board a flight from Burj El Arab airport in the northern Egyptian city of Alexandria this morning. Cyprus' foreign minister tweeted: "It's over. The #hijacker arrested." while EgyptAir also confirmed the news on their account:

Official sources at EGYPTAIR declared the release of all the hostages and the arrest of the hijacker. #EgyptAir

— EGYPTAIR (@EGYPTAIR) March 29, 2016

The flight, carrying 56 people, was heading for the capital Cairo when the hijacker, identified as Seif El Din Mustafa, is alleged to have forced the pilot to redirect, landing in Cyprus at 8.50am local time. Images circulating on Twitter suggest a passenger may have taken a 'selfie' with the hijacker on board.

What to do when the Hijacker has a bomb vest? A: Scream, B: Run, C: Take a Selfie? Im going with C. #EgyptAir pic.twitter.com/1vAeJNL4iF — Charlie Kenward (@Kenners_mirror) March 29, 2016

The Cyprus Foreign ministry said the hijacker, who claimed to be wearing an explosive vest, "appears to be unstable". Police snipers remained trained on the Airbus A320 on the tarmac at Larnaca as the pilot jumped from the cockpit window. The hijackers motivation remains unclear. Main image: Charlie Kenward @Kenners_Mirror of the @DailyMirror