The hijacker who forced an Egyptian plane to land in Cyprus is strapped with a suicide explosive belt, the Cypriot state-run broadcaster said on Tuesday.
The hijacker has released all women and children of Egyptian passenger plane but kept all men on board.
A total of 55 passengers and a crew of seven are on the plane, which was originally said to carry 81 people.
Informed sources said the hijacker also let free two bishops of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Metroplitans Damaskinos and Nikodemos. They are of Greek origin.