EgyptAir hijacker’s surreal love life is the stuff that memes are made of

Seif Eldin Mustafa, the man who allegedly hijacked EgyptAir Flight 181 with a fake belt of explosives and forced it to land in Cyprus so he could deliver a letter to his ex-wife, did not accomplish what he set out to do. 

But his romantic efforts did make him into an excellent meme.

It’s fairly unlikely that the Cypriot authorities who arrested Mustafa after a seven-hour standoff (with no injuries or casualties) were willing to pass along his mail. Which left the Internet to imagine what it said. 

Roses are red
Violets are blue
I hijacked this plane
To visit my boo#EgyptAir #EgyptAirHijack

— Maz Bonafide (@MazBONAFIDE) March 29, 2016

#EgyptAir #Cipro #EgyptAirHijack pic.twitter.com/VzY38VONlg

— eddie.murchy (@a_mazed7) March 29, 2016

Other husbands, meanwhile, were annoyed at how high he’d set the bar.

Thanks guy. Really looking forward to weeks of “thanks for taking out the garbage, its not a plane, but ok.” #EgyptAirHijack

— Justin Guarini (@JustinGuarini) March 29, 2016

We wondered how to stop hijackings like this in the future.

The only thing that can stop a straight guy in a bad marriage is a gay guy in a good marriage. @NRA #EgyptAirHijack

— As seen on joshcrowley.bsky.social (@jdcrowley) March 29, 2016

And we imagined—using an instantly iconic photo of Mustafa and a smiling hostage with nerves of steel (Ben Innes, of Aberdeen, Scotland)—what could drive us to similar extremes.

As if people are having selfies with the hi-jacker! What a world we live in today 👀😡🙈 #EgyptAir #EgyptAirHijack pic.twitter.com/WAgU5orjY7

— Craig Monaghan (@craig_monaghan) March 29, 2016

This could be us but you won’t hijack a plane for me #EgyptAirHijack pic.twitter.com/QVlXqwk3IG

— rubbishsteve (@rubbishsteve) March 29, 2016

https://twitter.com/TrailerJamTweet/status/714804814400589825

But darling, I’d catch a grenade for you… 😱😍😍😍😍😍😍😱 #EgyptAirHijack pic.twitter.com/8onpnmZXom

— Poppy Mathobela (@PopMathobela) March 29, 2016

hijack a plane for me so I know it’s real #EgyptAir

— alex (Taylors Version) (@macncheeseplzzz) March 29, 2016

Egypt can be proud that it’s the primary source of viral memes today. #EgyptAirHijack pic.twitter.com/QrejWT141b

— Dalia Ezzat (@DaliaEzzat_) March 29, 2016

https://twitter.com/OhKevinMichaels/status/714862423010906112

As well as some alternative wooing strategies.

The best way to go if you are planning to propose her.#EgyptAirHijack #LoveIsInTheAir pic.twitter.com/6w8wRszuXb

— प्रतीक™ (@BeingPrateek1) March 29, 2016

And, of course, the painful outcomes.

*Hijacks a plane to talk to the girl*
Girl: I’ve a boyfriend #EgyptAir #EgyptAirHijack

— Prasad (@prasad_salvi) March 29, 2016

https://twitter.com/Saariina_/status/714858935447109632

In the end, perhaps the hijacker flew a little too close to the sun. But don’t we all do crazy things when we’re in love?

Egypt foreign ministry spokesman: “He’s not a terrorist, he’s an idiot. Terrorists are crazy but they aren’t stupid. This guy is”

— Mohamed Yehia (@yeh1a) March 29, 2016

Photo via ERIC SALARD/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)