In 2016, a 26-year-old man from the U.K., named Ben Innes, was a passenger on an EgyptAir flight headed to Cairo. During the journey, Seif Eldin Mustafa, another passenger, hijacked the plane. He wore a vest that appeared to be packed with explosives and held a detonator, threatening to detonate the bomb. Mustafa demanded that the plane be rerouted to Cyprus, and the pilot, concerned for everyone's safety, complied.

Once in Cyprus, Mustafa released most of the passengers but retained three passengers and four crew members as hostages. Ben Innes was among the hostages. In a surprising turn of events, Ben approached Mustafa and asked if he could take a selfie with him. The hijacker, seemingly puzzled, allowed the photo.

Later, it was revealed that the bomb was a fake. Mustafa was apprehended, and the hostages were released. Ben Innes later explained that his decision to take a selfie was an attempt to stay positive, reasoning that he had nothing to lose if the bomb were real.