Hijacker 'demands asylum in Cyprus' - state radiopublished at 09:04 British Summer Time 29 March 2016
The hijacker is demanding asylum in Cyprus, according to state radio, AFP news agency reports.
Summary
EgyptAir Flight MS181 was diverted to Cyprus from Egypt after being hijacked on 29 March 2016
Hijacker told the pilot he had an explosives belt
Most passengers were immediately freed but a number were held on board
They eventually left the plane - one making a dramatic jump from a cockpit window
The crisis ended with the arrest of the alleged hijacker
Authorities now say they will question the "unstable" suspect over his motives
Hijacker 'demands asylum in Cyprus' - state radiopublished at 09:04 British Summer Time 29 March 2016
EgyptAir passengers disembarkpublished at 09:03 British Summer Time 29 March 2016
Dozens of passengers disembarked the plane at Larnaca, as this footage shows - leaving, according to the airline, only four foreign passengers and the crew on board.
Media caption, Footage showed some passengers leaving the hijacked plane
UK Foreign Office in contact with Cypriot and Egyptian authoritiespublished at 08:51 British Summer Time 29 March 2016
The UK Foreign Office releases a statement following reports that eight Britons were on board the hijacked plane.
A spokesman says: "We are in contact with the Cypriot and Egyptian authorities after a hijacked plane landed in Cyprus."
Earlier, EgyptAir said all passengers on board had been released, except the crew and four foreigners.
Hijacker is 'Egyptian national'published at 08:48 British Summer Time 29 March 2016
The hijacker is from Egypt, the country's state news agency says. Other reports, however, have suggested the hijacker is a Libyan national.
Cyprus official: One hijacker on boardpublished at 08:41 British Summer Time 29 March 2016
Image source, Video grabA Cyprus foreign ministry official says it is believed that there is one hijacker on board the plane, Reuters news agency reports.
The official could not confirm whether the person was strapped with explosives. Earlier, Egypt's Civil Aviation ministry said the pilot had reported that he had been threatened by a passenger wearing a "suicide belt".
Airline: Foreigners and crew remain on planepublished at 08:31
BreakingAll passengers have been released except for the crew and four foreigners, EgyptAir has said.
Media reports say the foreigners are all Europeans.
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End of twitter post'No demands'published at 08:24 British Summer Time 29 March 2016
The BBC's Ranyah Sabry in Cairo says Egyptian officials say no demands or claims of responsibility have yet been made by the hijacker. She says it is unclear where he boarded the plane - whether at the last stop of Alexandria, or in Saudi Arabia where the plane originated.
'Up to 40' passengers freed from EgyptAir planepublished at 08:23 British Summer Time 29 March 2016
Image source, ReutersBetween 30 and 40 passengers have been released from the hijacked plane, Cypriot state media report.
'Passengers leaving plane'published at 08:14 British Summer Time 29 March 2016
BBC Radio 5 LiveReports indicate that some passengers are being freed from the plane.
A journalist at the airport has told BBC Radio 5 live that passengers have come down the stairs of the plane carrying their luggage. They boarded a bus back to the main terminal buildings.
Flight tracking website tweets...published at 08:10 British Summer Time 29 March 2016
Flightradar24 tweeted this picture showing the plane at Larnaca Airport in Cyprus.
Hijacked Egyptian plane lands in Cypruspublished at 08:09 British Summer Time 29 March 2016
A hijacked EgyptAir plane has now landed in Cyprus.
The plane was travelling from Alexandria to Cairo with 55 passengers and seven crew. Egypt's Civil Aviation ministry has said the pilot said he had been threatened by a passenger wearing a suicide belt.