AMSTERDAM, NL. (THECOUNT) — Dutch police say they are investigating a security incident only described as a “suspicious situation” on board a plane at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport in Holland.
The incident occurred just before 7:00 p.m. local time, according to Matt Hallmann, a passenger transiting through Schiphol. Photos posted to social media showed the airports D-concourse blocked off by police.
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A customer service agent at Schiphol, reached by phone, told Business Insider that the Royal Marechaussee, or the Dutch military police, were responding and referred questions to the government. A spokesperson for the Marechaussee did not immediately respond. The agency tweeted that it was investigating a “suspicious situation” on board, reports BusinessInsider.
Air Europa, a Spanish airline, tweeted that a distress signal on a plane scheduled to fly to Madrid was “activated by mistake,” falsly suggesting that there was a hijacking attempt on board. Dutch police said at about 8:45 p.m. local time that passengers and crew had safely left the plane.
Schiphol is the third busiest airport in Europe, following London Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
DEVELOPING::
Geo quick facts: Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ capital, known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses with gabled facades, legacies of the city’s 17th-century Golden Age. Its Museum District houses the Van Gogh Museum, works by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, and modern art at the Stedelijk. Cycling is key to the city’s character, and there are numerous bike paths – wikipedia.