Hijacked ‘selfie man’ faces probe
A MAN who posed smiling alongside a hijacker who was apparently wearing a suicide belt will face an investigation over the photograph when he returns to work.
Ben Innes, 26, had his picture taken with captor Seif Eldin Mustafa during a stand-off after the Egyptian hijacked the Cairo-bound flight and forced it to land in Larnaca, Cyprus.
The image of the two men was posted on social media and has gone viral, appearing in newspapers and on television shows around the world.
Now Mr Innes, a health and safety auditor, has been told by bosses at Aberdeen-based oil and gas service company TWMA that he will face an investigation.
THE British hostage who posed gri nning with a hijacker in a ‘suicide belt’ will be investigated by his bosses over the image.
Health and safety auditor Ben Innes, 26, had the selfie taken with Seif Eldin Mustafa during the six-hour stand-off on a Cairobound plane – which was forced to land in Larnaca, Cyprus.
As soldiers surrounded the Boeing 737, Mr Innes – returning from a trip to his firm’s Alexandria office with a colleague – posed for the snap because he ‘had nothing to lose’ if it was a real bomb.
The York University graduate who lives in Aberdeen asked a stewardess to take the picture while passengers were still trapped.
Mustafa, who has a long criminal record and faces extradition to his native Egypt, agreed to pose.
Yesterday the 59-year-old defiantly flashed the victory sign after appearing in court for threatening to blow up the EgyptAir flight – with a fake suicide belt made of mobile phone covers – so he could see his estranged wife who lives on Cyprus.
But the father of four was shunned by his ‘mortified’ ex-partner Marina Parashkou, 51.
While the stand-off was still ongoing, Mr Innes, who works for Aberdeen-based oil and gas service company TWMA, sent the image to his friends, saying: ‘You know your boy doesn’t f*** about! Turn on the news lad!!’ Recalling the moment, Mr Innes, from Leeds, said: ‘I’m not sure why I did it, I just threw caution to the wind while trying to stay cheerful in the face of adversity.
‘I figured if his bomb was real I’d nothing to lose anyway, so took a chance to get a closer look at it.
‘I got one of the cabin crew to translate for me and asked him [Mustafa] if I could do a selfie with him. He just shrugged OK so I stood by him and smiled for the camera while a stewardess did the snap. It has to be the best selfie ever.’
He added: ‘I could see he had what looked like a bomb and I was scared … I asked for a photo with him as we were sitting around waiting. I thought, “Why not? If he blows us all up it won’t matter anyway”.’ Mr Innes revealed he was texting his mother Pauline throughout the ordeal.
‘My mum was obviously frantic with worry and kept telling me not to do anything to draw attention to myself,’ he told The Sun. ‘I didn’t know how to tell her I’d already done a selfie with the hijacker.’
His older sister Sarah posted the picture on Twitter, writing: ‘Only Ben could get a selfie! #Proud’. But as TWMA worked towards bringing Mr Innes and his colleague home last night, a spokesman said: ‘There will be a formal, face-to-face discussion with Ben about why the photo was taken and under which circumstances.’ She added that it was not yet clear if disciplinary action was needed and that the safety and well-being of both employees was a priority at this stage.
Italian passenger Andrea Banchetti expressed disbelief at Mr Innes’ actions, saying: ‘The door was open. But I said, “If I run, the others might die” … then Benjamin takes a selfie with the desperate man. Maybe they call it English aplomb?’
Mustafa, who surrendered after his hostages managed to sneak off the plane, was held in custody. He had demanded officials deliver a four-page letter to his ex-wife who he has not seen since he left the island in 1994. But a court source said Miss Parashkou refused to speak with her ex-husband and was ‘very upset and embarrassed’.
Mustafa, who lives south of Cairo, faces charges including hijacking, illegal possession of explosives, kidnapping and threats of violence.
The court heard he demanded passengers – including four Britons – surrender their passports and that the plane be landed in Cyprus.
A prosecutor said Cypriot authorities will ask Interpol to help determine how the suspect got fake explosives through airport security.