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 later released all women and children of the plane but kept all men on board, Xinhua news agency reported.
A total of 55 passengers and a crew of seven were on the plane, which was originally said to carry 81 people.
Informed sources said the hijacker also freed two bishops of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Metroplitans Damaskinos and Nikodemos. They are of Greek origin.