Hijack scare after Amsterdam loses contact with plane
The Netherlands intercepted a Spanish airliner with two fighter planes and then sent security forces to surround it on the tarmac at Amsterdam's airport in a hijack scare caused by a loss of radio contact. The plane, flown by Spanish carrier Vueling from Malaga in Spain to Amsterdam with about 180 passengers on board, had lost radio contact with air traffic control, a spokesman for the military police said. "There was no communication with the crew at all," Martijn Peelen, military police spokesman, said.
"My colleagues are still talking to the (plane's ) captain to find out what caused the communication failure." Peelen said that as soon as the plane landed at Schiphol airport, it was surrounded by security forces and a negotiator was sent to talk to the crew. "After the negotiator spoke to the captain we were certain there were no hijackers on the plane,"Peelen said.
The plane had been intercepted and escorted by two F-16 fighters sent by the Dutch defence ministry. Passengers had to remain on board the plane for hours while it was searched by police , but were later allowed to disembark and board the buses.