False alarm: massive emergency search launched over potential plane crash in Almería

A technology glitch caused a real panic in Almería on Monday, May 25, when an automated accident detection system alerted authorities to a potential plane crash in Níjar.

The 112-emergency service first received the alert at around 10am Monday morning. The alert reportedly originated from an automatic iPhone crash detection system, which indicated that a person may have been trapped following an aircraft impact near the AL-5106 road in the Fernán Pérez area of Níjar.

Immediately upon receiving the notification, a large-scale emergency response team was deployed.

Emergency services respond to potential plane crash

Firefighters, paramedics and police remained on standby as multiple helicopters searched via the skies and ground crews combed through the difficult terrain on foot, looking for any signs of a crash. The warning was treated as a potentially serious aviation emergency due to the remote nature of the surrounding landscape and the possibility that survivors could require urgent assistance.

After several hours of searching, the response team found no physical evidence to suggest an aircraft had crash landed in the area. There was no trace of fuselage, nor any fuel residue or signs of impact in the terrain, leaving many to believe it was a false alarm.

AENA confirms no aircraft missing over Almería

These suspicions were later confirmed when AENA, the Spanish airport authority, verified there was no small plane with a flight plan that would cross overhead of the suspected crash site, nor were any aircrafts reported missing. Flight radar checks also proved negative.

Authorities additionally asked nearby air traffic to remain alert for any possible signs of a downed plane, but no pilot or control tower reported seeing anything unusual.

Police investigate possible technology failure or hoax

The growing lack of evidence led investigators to believe the incident was most likely caused by a technological malfunction rather than a genuine aviation emergency.

Even so, police have not ruled out other possibilities. Investigators are reportedly examining whether the false alert could have been a deliberate hoax intended to divert emergency resources away from another incident elsewhere in the province.

While the operation ultimately proved to be a false alarm, the incident highlighted the enormous cost and logistical effort involved in responding to potential aircraft disasters. Emergency helicopters, rescue units and specialist teams remained occupied for hours searching for what locals have since dubbed the “ghost plane” of Níjar.