Upon landing, the majority of the 81 passengers were released, but the man demanded a four-page letter be delivered to his ex-wife, who is a Cyprus resident. The woman, with whom the suspect has four children, was brought to the airport and helped authorities persuade the man to surrender.

The Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted the man had been arrested and all passengers and crew freed. It was revealed the so-called explosives were actually empty phone cases and the man was otherwise unarmed. He was pronounced mentally unstable, as his actions during the event were described as erratic, and his negotiation demands throughout the ordeal inconsistent. His motivation is still unclear.