Emergency reported at Amsterdam airport is false alarm

Fears of a hijacking at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol briefly brought the airport to a standstill today — before it emerged that an alarm had been activated by mistake.

Here’s what you need to know about the incident:

• Police responded: The Dutch Royal Military Police and other emergency services flocked to the scene, as rumors of a possible hostage situation spread.
• The all-clear: Air Europa tweeted that the Schiphol Airport incident was a false alarm. The airline said “a warning that triggers protocols on hijackings at the airport” was activated by mistake.
• About the airport: Schiphol is Europe’s third busiest, after London’s Heathrow and Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Air Europa tweeted that the Schiphol Airport incident was a false alarm.

The airline said “a warning that triggers protocols on hijackings at the airport” was activated by mistake.

Here’s the tweet:

Mark Crompton shared a photo from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, which showed large crowds and confusion as the suspicious situation unfolded at the airport.

“Military police at the airport due to ongoing situation with an aircraft,” he wrote on Twitter.

Here’s what it looks like:

The Dutch military police have confirmed that the passengers and crew involved in a “suspicious situation” at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol are safely off the plane.

FlightRadar24, a service that provides real-time flight information, reports an “emergency situation” at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

“There is currently an emergency situation at Amsterdam-Schiphol airport. The situation is causing flights at the D and E, even number gates to be directed to hardstands. The airport is operating. No further info on nature of emergency,” FlightRadar24 tweeted. 

Emergency services have flocked to Amsterdam Airoport Schiphol, according to Dutch public broadcaster NOS.

This is a GRIP 3 report — that means that there is a potential threat to the well-being of the population within a municipality.

A spokesperson for the Marechaussee spoke of a “suspicious situation” on board an aircraft. The details of the situation are still unclear.

According to CNN affiliate RTL Netherlands, an alarm sounded at Schiphol Airport. Emergency services are on the road or already on site for a “suspicious situation on board an aircraft”.

The Dutch police force, also known as the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, is currently investigating a “situation” on board a plane at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

Schiphol is the Netherlands’ main international airport. The airport is Europe’s third busiest, after London’s Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.