No Malaysian passengers or crew on hijacked EgyptAir flight MS181

No Malaysians were identified as passengers or crew on board the hijacked EgyptAir Flight MS181.

Malaysian Foreign Ministry (MOF) spokesperson when contacted said this was verified through the flight manifest.

"According to the flight manifest, no Malaysians have been identified at the moment," she said.

The Airbus A-320 plane was en route to Alexandria from Cairo when it was hijacked earlier today.

EgyptAir said the aircraft carrying 55 passengers along with six crew and a security official, was forced to divert to Larnaca Airport on the southwest of Cyprus. It had earlier reported 81 passengers were on board.

READ: Cyprus closes Larnaca airport after hijacking, flights diverted to Paphos

READ: EgyptAir hijacker 'frees all on board except four foreigners, crew'

READ: Hijacker diverts Egypt Air to Cyprus

According to an official statement from EgyptAir, one of the passengers, wearing a suicide belt had threatened the commanding officer known only as 'Pilot Omar' and asked to divert the aircraft to Cyprus.

Cyprus' President, Nicos Anastasiades, during a joint news conference with the visiting president of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, confirmed that the hijacking of the plane is 'not related to terrorism'.

Anastasiades the Cyprus government had done everything it could to ensure the safety of the passengers, most of whom were reported to have been set free.