Officials arrest EgyptAir hijacker

Cypriot officials have arrested the hijacker of EgyptAir flight MS181 following negotiations and a stand-off with hostages, NBC News reports. The tense situation has been declared "over" by a Cyprus official who spoke with the The Associated Press.

Egyptian officials reported early Tuesday that EgyptAir flight MS181 from Alexandria to Cairo was hijacked and diverted to Cyprus. Cypriot officials identified the hijacker as Seif Eldin Mustafa, and President Nicos Anastasiades said the man, claiming to be wearing an explosive belt, appeared to be motivated by the prospect of reuniting with his estranged Cypriot wife.

After the plane, an Airbus with 81 passengers aboard, landed at Larnaca airport in Cyprus, the hijacker allowed most passengers to disembark.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up