Hostages seen escaping hijacked EgyptAir aircraft

At least five hostages being held on the hijacked EgyptAir flight that was diverted to Larnaca have been spotted escaping from the aircraft - at least one of them through the cockpit window.
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Minutes earlier, an EgyptAir official had just given an update on the hijacked Airbus A320 saying there are now three non-Egyptian passengers as well as the pilot, co-pilot and two cabin crew still on board the aircraft in addition to the hijacker.

The flight had been bound to Cairo from Borj Al Arab, Alexandria when it was hijacked around 7:30 local time this morning,
The Minister of Civil Aviation has declared in a statement during the press conference held today at the Ministry headquarters that the Egyptian government and the airline are working on issuing the landing authorisation for an aircraft to depart from Cairo Airport to Larnaca as soon as possible to return the passengers.
The airline amended the number of passengers and crew that had been given in an earlier statement. It has now been established that there were 55 passengers, one security official, two pilots and four cabin crew. The airline had earlier said there were 81 on board.
A statement from the ministry said that 26 foreigners on board included eight Americans, four Britons, four Dutch citizens, two Belgians, two Greeks, a French national, an Italian, and a Syrian. Three other foreigners could not be identified.
"The pilot said that a passenger told him he had an explosives vest and forced the plane to land in Larnaca," the ministry said in a statement.
Larnaca airport, on the south coast of Cyprus, has been closed and scheduled flights diverted elsewhere.
Cypriot officials have named the hijacker as Seif Eldin Mustafa. Reports say he wants to talk to his estranged wife in Cyprus. During negotiations for the earlier release of passengers, a letter was given by the hijacker to pass to his ex-wife who lives in Cyprus.
News reports suggest the wife is now at the airport. Officials in Cyprus have declared this is not a terrorist incident.