Hijacked Egyptian airliner lands in Cyprus: police

Unidentified hijackers seized an Egyptian airliner today and diverted it to Cyprus, where it landed at Larnaca airport on the south coast, Cypriot police said.

The plane was carrying 55 passengers, seven crew, an Egyptian airport official said.

The hijackers contacted the control tower at 8:30 am (0530 GMT) and the plane was given permission to land at 8:50 am, police said.

The hijackers made no immediate demands and a crisis team has been deployed to the airport.