EgyptAir flight MS181 was hijacked using a fake suicide belt, officials have confirmed.

The Airbus A320 was carrying 56 passengers from Alexandria to Cairo, along with six crew and a security official, when it was diverted by a passenger threatening to blow himself up yesterday.

The plane landed in Larnaca, Cyprus, where the passengers and crew were eventually released.

The hijacker, named by Cypriot officials as Seif Eldin Mustafa, then surrendered to police.

Officials said he was “psychologically unstable”, while the Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades said the incident was not terrorism-related.

The demands of the hijacker have not been released, but are believed to include a chance to see his estranged wife.

Egypt was quick to argue the suspect raised no suspicions when passing through security at Alexandria’s Borg El Arab airport.

The Middle Eastern destination has taken steps to improve airport security after Russian Metrojet Flight 9268 was blown up over Sinai last October.

Eldin Mustafa will appear in court in the Cypriot city of Larnaca on Wednesday.