CAIRO, March 29 -- Seven persons including three passengers are still on board the hijacked EgyptAir plane, Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy said on Tuesday.

EgyptAir had previously said that negotiations with the hijacker had resulted in "the release of all the passengers, except the crew and four foreigners."

"The captain, a co-pilot, an air hostess and a security guard remained on board, along with three passengers," Sherif Fathy said told a press conference.