Air Europa: Pilot at Schiphol airport accidentally caused alarm

"We are sorry, there was no cause for alarm," the Spanish airline said.

NOVEMBER 6, 2019 22:04

Suspect situation aboard a plane at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport (photo credit: PETER VANDERMERTZ) — Suspect situation aboard a plane at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport

(photo credit: PETER VANDERMERTZ)

A pilot onboard an Air Europa airplane accidentally set off an alarm, prompting a major security lockdown at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport on Wednesday, the airline said in a statement.

"In a plane from Amsterdam to Madrid tonight an alarm was accidentally activated which set off safety protocols at the airport," it said. "There was no cause for alarm, all passengers were fine and waiting for the flight to take off."

"We are sorry, there was no cause for alarm," the Spanish airline said.

Three men armed with knives were trying to hijack an outbound flight, reports on Twitter suggested

'Nobody knows what is happening here, there was a lot of screaming going on and armed police running about," one passenger told the British newspaper the Daily Mail.

Schiphol Airport tweeted that the passengers and crew are safely off board the plane.