UPDATE: EgyptAir hostages freed
JOBURG - Two of the recently-hijacked EgyptAir plane passengers have been confirmed as South African-based Greek Orthodox Church priests.
UPDATE: 30 March 2016, 3:30pm – The Greek Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary expressed gratitude for the safety of its Archbishop Damaskinos of Johannesburg and Pretoria, and Bishop Nicodimus Boulaksis following the hijacking of an EgyptAir flight.
These were the words of Father George Cocotos, speaking on behalf of the Rosebank-based church, who had spoken to the two leaders who had been on the EgyptAir plane which was hijacked and forced to divert to Cyprus.
“I spoke to the two men briefly and they said to tell everyone that they’re safe and that they’ve landed,” he said.
“They also touched on the incident but didn’t say much on it; they are just thankful that everything went okay and that everyone on the plane was okay.”
Cocotos added that the two were expected back in the country on 30 March, following a trip to Egypt for the ordaining of another priest who was elected as a bishop in Alexandria, Egypt.
The hijacking saw 81 passengers and crew taken hostage by an Egyptian national but eventually freed after a few hours and the suspect arrested.
UPDATE: 30 March 2016, 10am – All the hostages who were aboard the hijacked EgyptAir plane have finally been freed and the hijacker arrested.
This according to a report by News24 which stated that all the hostages had been freed from the plane and the suspect, whose identity is yet to be confirmed, had been detained.
The domestic flight, headed for Cairo from Alexandria, was hijacked yesterday and diverted to Cyprus, with 81 passengers reportedly on board.
Initial reports stated that, except for four foreigners and crew members, the passengers had been released. In the released group were two South African-based priests, Archbishop Damaskinos of Johannesburg and Pretoria, and Bishop Nicodimus Boulaksis, both from the Greek Orthodox church.
INITIAL REPORT: 29 March 2016, 11am – This is according to a report by Eyewitness News which confirmed that the two priests were the Houghton-based Archbishop Damaskinos of Johannesburg and Pretoria, and Bishop Nicodimus Boulaksis.
This comes hours after an EgyptAir domestic flight from Alexandria to Cairo was hijacked and forced to divert to Cyprus, reportedly with 81 passengers aboard.
All the passengers, except four foreigners and the crew, have since been released and this included the two priests.
More reports to follow.
