Airport authorities in Laranaca on the southern coast of Cyprus have reportedly given landing clearance to an airplane that may be in the control of hijackers, Cypriot media are reporting.

The flight is believed to be Egypt Air's Airbus A320 from Alexandria to Cairo and has around 80 passengers on board, according to initial reports, which said that the captain requested special permission to land at Larnaca.

Cypriot authorities said there are “well-based suspicions” the flight may have been hijacked shortly after taking off from Alexandria.