Amsterdam ‘HIJACK’ fears: Passengers and crew are evacuated from plane at Schiphol airport after reports of a knifeman on board as armed military police race to the scene
- Police investigating suspicious situation on plane at Amsterdam Schiphol airport
- Reports on Twitter suggest men armed with knives were trying to hijack a plane
- Images on social media show passengers stood behind cordon as police watch
- *Are you at the airport? Get in touch by emailing james.wood@mailonline.co.uk*
Passengers and crew have been evacuated from a plane at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport amid reports a knifeman tried to hijack the aircraft.
Dutch military police are responding to the incident, and there were suggestions earlier that hostages had been taken on the plane.
Local reports have said the situation has now ‘been ended’, but it is currently unclear what has happened to resolve the incident.
‘Terrified’ passengers have spoken of screaming at the airport and ‘armed police running about’ as a police cordon is set up in the area.
One passenger told MailOnline: ‘Nobody knows what is happened here, there was a lot of screaming going on and armed police running about.
‘It’s quite a frightening experience as we are behind a cordon unable to move for our own safety as police is everywhere.’
‘Terrified’ passengers have spoken of screaming at the airport and ‘armed police running about’ as a police cordon is set up in the area
One passenger told MailOnline: ‘Nobody knows what is happened here, there was a lot of screaming going on and armed police running about’
Dutch military police are responding to the incident, and there were suggestions earlier that hostages had been taken on the plane
Dutch military police are responding to reports of a suspected hijacking onboard a plane at Amsterdam Schiphol airport (left, a police cordon in place, and right an image looking out on to a plane)
‘There is a suspicious situation and that’s all I can say,’ a spokesman for the military police said.
He declined to name the airline involved or provide further details.
According to De Telegraaf, several sources say that the captain reported a ‘hijacking’ from the aircraft at some point. This has not been confirmed by official authorities.
Reports on Twitter suggest men armed with knives were trying to hijack an outbound flight – and there are suggestions hostages have been taken on board a plane.
Images on social media show passengers stood behind a cordon as police watch on.
Dutch television station NOS said that it had involved a possible hijacking, without giving its sources, adding that the captain of the plane had pressed a hijacking alarm (pictured police and ambulance crews at the scene)
A cordon has been set up in an area of the airport, as police investigate a ‘suspicious’ situation at the airport
One passenger said: ‘Masses of people have just been asked to move back further behind the security cordon.’
Schipol airport tweeted: ‘The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee is currently investigating a situation on board of a plane at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. We keep you posted.’
Emergency services have issued a so-called Grip 3 report.
This happens with ‘an incident or serious event with major consequences for the population’, reports De Telegraaf.
The airport had declared a ‘serious situation that can have a major impact on the population’, the Dutch news agency ANP reported.