Ongoing Egypt Air hijack in Cyprus personally motivated: media

Passengers wait for a bus to Paphos at the Larnaca airport in Larnaca, Cyprus, March 29, 2016. The women and children on a hijacked Egyptian plane have been released after it landed in Larnaca, Cyprus, Cypriot authorities said Tuesday. Larnaca airport has been closed and arriving planes are being redirected to Paphos in western Cyprus. (Xinhua/Zhang Zhang)

ATHENS, March 29 -- An ongoing hijack of an Egypt Air flight that was forced to land on Cyprus on Tuesday was organized by one person for personal reasons, Greek news agency AMNA reported, citing Cypriot state sources.

Early reports say the perpetrator is an Egyptian national who was married to Greek Cypriot Marina Paraschou, according to AMNA. The former couple has four children.

The man demanded that a four-page letter be delivered to his ex-wife who is living on the island. Paraschou then went to Larnaca airport to help negotiators convince him to surrender and end the hostage peacefully.

The man has threatened to set off his explosive vest if security forces intervene to release the seven hostages still held inside the plane, according to the same sources.

A total of 56 passengers and eight crew were on board the MS181 Alexandria-Cairo flight.

Most passengers, among them two prominent Greek Christian Orthodox church officials, were released by the hijacker once arriving in Larnaca.

Among the released passengers was an Egyptian University professor who was mistakenly identified by international media as the suspect.

According to as yet unconfirmed information, the hijacker has requested to be granted political asylum in Europe.

Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades has contacted his Egyptian counterpart regarding the case.

After a meeting with European Parliament President Martin Schulz in Cyprus, Anastasiades stressed speaking to media that all measures were being taken to ensure the safety of the hostages.