The Cypriot Larnaca airport was closed and scheduled flights diverted elsewhere over an Egyptian plane hijacking, the BBC Radio reported Tuesday.

All passengers, apart from five foreigners and seven crew members, of the hijacked Egyptian plane were released, EgyptAir said in a statement Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, the EgyptAir Airbus A320, carrying 56 passengers, seven crew members and a security guard on board, was hijacked and forced to land in Cyprus.

Flight MS181 passenger plan was originally travelling from Alexandra's Borg El Arab Airport to Cairo.

Source: MENA