Foreigners And Crew Left On Hijacked Plane

All Eygptian passengers have reportedly been released from hijacked passenger plane that landed at Larnaca Airport in Cyprus, but it is believed 4 foreign passengers and the crew have been kept on board.

The EgyptAir MS181 Airbus was reportedly hijacked by one armed man during an internal flight from Alexandria to Cairo before heading to Cyprus.

The Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry has confirmed there are 81 people on board.

The pilot has reported a threat from a passenger claiming to have an explosive belt .

Ambulances arrived at the airport before it landed.

The motive for the hijacking is unknown.

Editor in Chief of Airlineratings.com Geoffrey Thomas said the hijacking raises the question of an inside job.

"That this explosive belt was smuggled on board this aircraft ahead of it's departure is something that raises serious questions about the security of the screening of the employees at Egypt's airports, and other airports."

Fighter jets are reported to be patrolling the airspace over Cyprus.

There were 81 people on board the Airbus 320.

Newstalk ZB