Pilot Accidently Sets Off Hijack Alarm, Causing Chaos At Amsterdam Airport

POLICE SWARMED to Schiphol Airport late yesterday evening after reports of a suspected hijacking during boarding of an Air Europa plane.

Within minutes one of Europe’s busiest airports was placed on lock down and became the scene of a huge security alert as military police surrounded a plane at the Dutch hub where 27 passengers were on board.

Emergency services rushed to the scene as authorities investigated a “suspicious situation.”

Dutch emergency authorities initially issued a “Grip 3 report,” a procedure usually initiated in case of “an incident or serious event with major consequences for the population

Flights at the airport were grounded.

However, it has now emerged that the hijacking alert was triggered by a pilot who pressed “send” by accident while explaining to an intern what the transponder codes are for.

Air Europa confirmed this evening that a pilot on board a flight bound for Madrid accidentally pressed a button which alerts authorities about a suspected hijacking.

Air Europa tweeted: “False Alarm. In the flight Amsterdam – Madrid, this afternoon was activated, by mistake, a warning that triggers protocols on hijackings at the airport. Nothing has happened, all passengers are safe and sound waiting to fly soon. We deeply apologize..”

#AirEuropaInfo False Alarm. In the flight Amsterdam – Madrid, this afternoon was activated, by mistake, a warning that triggers protocols on hijackings at the airport. Nothing has happened, all passengers are safe and sound waiting to fly soon. We deeply apologize.

— Air Europa (@AirEuropa) November 6, 2019