(CNN) -- Egyptian authorities have recovered a stolen painting created by Vincent Van Gogh, nabbing the suspected thieves just moments before they were to board a plane and flee the country, according to Egypt's official news agency, MENA.
Egyptian Culture Minister Farouq Hosni said Van Gogh's "Poppy Flowers" was in the possession of two Italians when security forces recovered it at Cairo International Airport. The pair -- a man and a woman -- were preparing to board a plane that would take them to Italy.
An interior ministry spokesman told CNN that the man was arrested.
The painting was returned to Cairo's Mohammed Mahmoud Khalil Museum. It was stolen from the museum earlier Saturday.
"Poppy Flowers" has an estimated value of about $50 million. CNN
