LARNACA, Cyprus — An Egyptian man hijacked an EgyptAir plane today and forced it to land on the island of Cyprus, where most passengers were eventually freed, though four crew members and three passengers remained on board with the hijacker, Egyptian and Cypriot officials said.

The man’s motivation was unclear, but Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said the hijacking was “not something that has to do with terrorism” and a Cyprus government official said the man “seems (to be) in love.”

Anastasiades, appearing alongside European Parliament President Martin Schulz, was asked by reporters whether he could confirm the incident was about a woman. “Always, there is a woman” involved, he replied, drawing laughter.

A civil aviation official said the man gave negotiators the name of a woman who lives in Cyprus and asked to give her an envelope. The relationship between her and the man was unclear.

Flight MS181 took off from the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria en route to Cairo with at least 55 passengers, including 26 foreigners, and a seven-member crew.

An official with flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 said the plane showed no immediate signs of distress. The flight between Alexandria and Cairo takes about 30 minutes.