All but four foreign passengers and another five in airline uniforms on board have been released after negotiations. The crew are also reported to be still be on board. It is reported one hijacker is on board with a suicide explosive belt strapped on.

CAIRO, March 29, 2016 (Xinhua) -- File photo taken on Jan. 31, 2011 shows anEgyptAir plane taking off at the Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt. Hijacked Egyptian passenger plane lands at Larnaca Airport in Cypus on March 29, 2016. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

The hijacker demanded to see his ex-wife, who is a Cypriot living in a village not far from the airport. Eyptian state media has named the hijacker as Ibrahim Samaha, an Egyptian professor of veterinary medicine at Alexandria University.

The domestic flight was flying from Alexandria to Cairo when it was hijacked and diverted to Larnaca airport on the southern coast of Cyprus. Around 60 people were reportedly on board the Airbus A320.

The hijacking occurred in the flight information region og Cyprus. Police there say the hijacker contacted the control tower at about 05.30 GMT, and the plane was given permission to land at Larnaca airport 20 minutes later. The airport was closed during the crisis with incoming flights diverted to Paphos on the island's western edge.