EgyptAir Hijack News: 58-Year-Old Hijacker Arrested, Officials Confirm
The hijacker of EgyptAir's flight from Alexandria to Cairo on Tuesday has been arrested, officials have just confirmed.
According to CNN, officials described the 58-year-old perpetrator as "unstable" and though his drama ended with no one getting hurt, fear among the passengers could be felt as the day ended with his arrest.
Farrah El Dibany told the outlet that she had noticed something was wrong since the plane started taking passports from passengers and it was taking too long for the plane to land. "One of the cabin crew told us, 'We are hijacked. We're being hijacked.' There was a lot of panic and crying on the plane," she said.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Presidential spokesman Alaa Yousuf identified the suspect as Seif El Din Mustafa. While the hijacking cannot be connected to terrorism, the passengers feared for their lives. Multiple outlets reported earlier that people were seen being led out of a cockpit window as they scrambled into safety.
Mustafa reportedly forced the plane crew to have the plane land in Cyprus because of issues with his ex-wife, who is from the area. He allegedly kept changing his statements and asked for different things, according to Homer Mavrommatis, director of the Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs Crisis Management Center.
With the use of a fake suicide belt, Mustafa forced the pilot and his assistants to re-route and land in Cyprus. This is not his first incident of breaking the law as he has a record of crimes related to drugs dealing and forgery among others. He also escaped from prison in 2011.
According to BBC, footage released by the country's interior ministry show Mustafa passing through a number of security check outposts in the Alexandria airport where the plane left off.
The incident has led some to question the aviation's security. The tourism ministry insisted that maximum safety and security measures were implemented before EgyptAir Flight MS181 left the Borg El Arab airport of Alexandria.
While some of the earlier reports varied, the passengers are relieved that they are out of danger and can continue with their planned activities.
