AMSTERDAM | Wed Aug 29, 2012 2:16pm BST
(Reuters) – Miscommunication between a Spanish airline pilot and Dutch ground control caused a hijack scare on Wednesday that led the Netherlands to send F-16 fighters to intercept a plane, the airline said.
“There was never any danger. There was a lack of communication between the pilot and the tower and the airport has activated the security protocol,” a spokeswoman for Spanish carrier Vueling said.
The Dutch Defence Ministry had sent two F-16 fighters to intercept the airplane after suspecting a hijacking, a Dutch military police spokesman told Reuters.
“We are still trying to establish communication with passengers and with the crew,” Martijn Peelen, spokesman for the military police, told Reuters by phone.
A passenger on board the plane said nothing unusual was happening, Dutch broadcaster NOS reported, quoting the passenger.
“In fact nothing was going on. We had to fly a few rounds. We are now waiting in the plane, the doors are still closed. But there is no hijack,” NOS quoted the person as saying.
