*Egypt Air passenger plane is hijacked*

Polo_Mint

A hijacked Egypt Air passenger plane has landed at Larnaca Airport in Cyprus, according to Cypriot media

The hijackers took control of the plane at 8.30am local time - 6.30am UK time - shortly after the EgyptAir flight had taken off from Alexandria

The plane - which was en route to the Egyptian capital Cairo - landed around 20 minutes later

It is being claimed that police have been told to clear the area so that women and children can be let off the plane.

The information has been shared by a former EU Commissioner.

According to reports, there at 82 passengers on board.

There are also reports that there is a bomb on the plane, but this is yet to be confirmed.

The flight number is MS181.

https://www.flightradar24.com/MSR181/93d5b9d

Wibbs

Kinda mad the way the world has changed when among my first thoughts was "oh thank christ, it sounds like an old fashioned hijacking"

old_aussie

Why thank Christ?

BoJack Horseman

How retro.
probably hipster terrorists.

And as usual.... nothing to do with Islam (apparently).

FalconGirl

The frequency of terrorist events is really alarming.

tigger123

Doesn't sound like ISIS if they're letting women and children off the plane (?)

Lovely Bloke

tigger123 wrote: »

Doesn't sound like ISIS if they're letting women and children off the plane (?)

seemingly only the Egyptian ones - reports of about 10 USAians and 8 Britishers on the plane.

12Phase

Sounds like they think they'll be allowed to take off again. In which case they're absolutely kidding themselves.

Scuid Mhór

tigger123 wrote: »

Doesn't sound like ISIS if they're letting women and children off the plane (?)

Apparently Islamic State representatives have just hijacked a ship in the Philippines. The question is whether the two events are independent of each other or not. Various sources are conflicting with each other but both stories are only breaking.

Polo_Mint

Reports are now emerging that there are eight British people on board the hijacked plane.

Women and children have been seen leaving the plane with luggage.

Police are reportedly now communicating with the hijackers

Polo_Mint

The pilot of the plane was threatened by a passenger strapped with explosives, Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry said.

FalconGirl

All passengers released except for crew and 5 passengers. That is somewhat a relief. Not a danger the plane will be allowed take to the skies again.

kfrp

Its unusual that they have left people off the plane and also that they have landed.

I wonder is the vest real?

Penny Tration

Christ, I hope this doesn't end badly

Scuid Mhór

How do you even hijack a plane in 2016? Or are the airport regulations we're used to only law in North America and the European Union?

mynameis905

All passengers off now except the crew and five non-nationals

12Phase

I wonder what exactly they're trying to 'negotiate'.

old_aussie

How d the hijackers get on the plane in Egypt, is there no security in Egypt?

One plane blown up and now this.

Did the hijackers have help in getting the explosive vest aboard.

The end of tourism in Egypt for the near future!

So strange that passengers are walking away with their luggage!

Uriel.

mynameis905 wrote: »

All passengers off now except the crew and five non-nationals

Surely not IS so.

Polo_Mint

old_aussie wrote: »

How d the hijackers get on the plane in Egypt, is there no security in Egypt?

One plane blown up and now this.

Did the hijackers have help in getting the explosive vest and bomb aboard.

The end of tourism in Egypt for the near future!

It depends what you mean Security

An EgyptAir mechanic whose cousin joined Islamic State in Syria is suspected of planting a bomb on a Russian passenger plane that was blown out of Egypt's skies in late October, according to sources familiar with the matter.

12Phase

Sounds more like old school hijackers.

Wonder what they want tho.

Redzer7

Reports of 3 British, 1 Italian and 1 Irish left on board with the crew.

Penny Tration

Suspect named as Ibraham Samaha, apparently demanded political asylum and a translator, according to the Telegraph.

murpho999

mynameis905 wrote: »

All passengers off now except the crew and five non-nationals

What are non-nationals?

Penny Tration

murpho999 wrote: »

What are non-nationals?

Non-Egyptian passengers.

AndyBoBandy

Redzer7 wrote: »

Reports of 3 British, 1 Italian and 1 Irish left on board with the crew.

Sky News saying Irish authorities have confirmed an Irish national as a passenger

murpho999

Penny Tration wrote: »

Non-Egyptian passengers.

OK, so non-Egyptian nationals as I'm sure those remaining all have a nationality.

Redzer7

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Sky News saying Irish authorities have confirmed an Irish national as a passenger

BBC World News have also changed their story now saying that the Italian passenger is in fact American.

Mint Sauce

Polo_Mint wrote: »

The pilot of the plane was threatened by a passenger strapped with explosives, Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry said.

Confirmed by BBC News as well. Some scary sh!t going on. Hopefully passengers and crew remain un harmed.

thattequilagirl

old_aussie wrote: »

How d the hijackers get on the plane in Egypt, is there no security in Egypt?

One plane blown up and now this.

Did the hijackers have help in getting the explosive vest aboard.

The end of tourism in Egypt for the near future!

It was an internal flight so security is usually not as strict as international flights.

kfrp

Guy wants asylum so unlikely anything further will happen

Lovely Bloke

what "Irish Authorities" have confirmed it? nothing on RTE or Breaking NEws

Bubbaclaus

murpho999 wrote: »

OK, so non-Egyptian nationals as I'm sure those remaining all have a nationality.

Are you trying to be funny?

Penny Tration

murpho999 wrote: »

OK, so non-Egyptian nationals as I'm sure those remaining all have a nationality.

An Egyptian airline reported them as being non-nationals. Because to an Egyptian company, they are non-nationals.

why the pedantry?

AndyBoBandy

In terms of any potential security breach, (or lack of)

I would imagine the threat could be made simply with a crude 'replica' device, put together with simply bought items at the airport.

SEPT 23 1989

They would hardly have guns on the plane in this day and age

gramar

Penny Tration wrote: »

Suspect named as Ibraham Samaha, apparently demanded political asylum and a translator, according to the Telegraph.

The only asylum he'll get will be a mental one. The hijacker clearly isn't well.

Mint Sauce

Penny Tration wrote: »

Non-Egyptian passengers.

BBC saying four. All European.

AndyBoBandy

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

what "Irish Authorities" have confirmed it? nothing on RTE or Breaking NEws

I heard that on sky news, so it was probably Barry (or whoever answered the phone) as the passport office!

Penny Tration

Now he's apparently demanded that a letter be sent to some Greek Cypriot girl/woman. Hijacker is in his late twenties.

As per my other post, this is on the Telegraph.

Penny Tration

Mint Sauce wrote: »

BBC saying four. All European.

I know. I was responding to a post asking what "non-national" meant

murpho999

Bubbaclaus wrote: »

Are you trying to be funny?

No, just find the term 'non-national' wrong.

Lovely Bloke

murpho999 wrote: »

No, just find the term 'non-national' wrong.

good for you, but this is hardly the thread for it.

:rolleyes:

CFlat

I'm watching Sky News and the passengers departing the plane look extremely relaxed to me. All seems quite odd.

Lovely Bloke

CFlat wrote: »

I'm watching Sky News and the passengers departing the plane look extremely relaxed to me. All seems quite odd.

they were all probably in on it.

murpho999

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

good for you, but this is hardly the thread for it.

:rolleyes:

It's a discusssion thread and I'm discussing.
It's also After Hours.

gramar

Penny Tration wrote: »

Now he's apparently demanded that a letter be sent to some Greek Cypriot girl/woman. Hijacker is in his late twenties.

This could go on for days while the letter is sent and delivered. Then the wait for the reply.

12Phase

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

what "Irish Authorities" have confirmed it? nothing on RTE or Breaking NEws

RTE can be remarkably slow to pick things up.

Seems though the DFA can't confirm anything according to Newstalk.

Lovely Bloke

murpho999 wrote: »

It's a discusssion thread and I'm discussing.
It's also After Hours.

you are discussing an inanity. with some weird agenda.

FalconGirl

CFlat wrote: »

I'm watching Sky News and the passengers departing the plane look extremely relaxed to me. All seems quite odd.

Thats what I was thinking. Surely if he had a real explosive vest they would be running for their lives in a panic. They were just strolling off with their luggage. Even the flight attendant looked quite relaxed on the steps of the plane.

The guy sounds like a lone wolf complete oddball.