AMS hijack?

[salivamonster]

AMSTERDAM (AP) - Dutch media report possible hijack of passenger plane at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.

[jumbojet]

Sky News says aircraft hijacked at AMS. Dutch mil confirm.

[pubsman]

Breaking News on BBC website:

"Dutch military sends F16 jets to Schiphol airport after reports of hostage-taking"

[Victor Inox]

Flight from LEMG to EHAM. Apparently a LCC.

[Globally Challenged]

Well 'Request Start' does of course sound similar to 'we have been hijacked'

[first_solo]

7500 or 7600 is so close together :)

[KBPsen]

From the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf Google Translate (http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=nl&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraaf.nl%2Fbinnenland%2F12853006%2F__ Gijzeling_aan_boord_vliegtuig__.html&act=url)

On board an aircraft that has just landed at Schiphol was a hostage busy. Which notification is received by the emergency services, which are present at the airport.

he aircraft is from Malaga. It is an Airbus of the Spanish budget airline Vueling, with flight number is 8366, without radio contact Dutch airspace is flown. After that, the only time flew circles above Zealand, and the course towards Schiphol set ( see here the flight (http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?act=url&depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=nl&tl=en&u=http://ow.ly/i/T8RY/original&usg=ALkJrhgrWVRxyqc-9CcBx8vjEODs6WeUuQ) ). The device is accompanied by two F-16s landed on the new runway. The Trooper's site and goes so aboard supplies, according to eyewitnesses.
The incident was scaled by the emergency services to GRIP3, the second highest alert level. Several ambulances are ready with the device, the doors of which still remain closed. The mayor of Haarlemmermeer and informed way. Part of the area is off with police tape.
The National Coordinator for Counterterrorism confirms that there is a disaster, but can not confirm whether there is a hostage situation going on. On board was among the 183 passengers did not panic. The pilot would have reported that everything is 'normal'. The NIS reports that a woman aboard a relative rang with the news that the occupants only know that they have not been to the gate can.

[Skeet]

News report on the radio talks about "unable to contact pilots, therefore escorted to AMS by 2 F-16's. Plane is parked separately, emergency services at the ready" End quote...

[konradeck]

There are information in news, that VY8366 from Malaga to Amsterdam was hijacked.

2xF16 were scrambled, the aircraft landed in AMS and was surrounded by the police.

Track is available, but 7500 was not squawked. Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker! (http://www.flightradar24.com/#!/2012-08-29/11:10/VLG8366)

[Globally Challenged]

I love how the media jump on this stuff like flies on :mad:. So far we have a ground based hijack, an air-based hijack and a denying of any hijack by Vueling.

[konradeck]

Ok, recent updates say "no hijack" - just a miscommunication with the pilot, who failed to contact with ATC and after entering the airspace of The Netherlands.

[1stspotter]

No hijack no nothing. Plane had a unusual route to enter the Dutch airspace. No radiocontact. 2 x F16s were scrambled. Plane flew a couple of circles around 80 km soutwest of airport. Landed normally.
Parked at remote spot. Pax had no idea something was wrong.

The reason it did not went to the gate could be because today a WW II bomb was found near the C gate at Schiphol airport.

Lots of miscommunication between pilot and ATC caused this incident.

[LGW Vulture]

According!to Sky's experts, the airline involved was "view"ling! :D

[Wedge]

...now being reported that there may yet be a hostage situation and negotiators are being called in....

[staplefordheli]

spokesman from the Dutch mil police just talking live on Sky. Still ongoing as they cant make contact with pilots. F16s went supersonic to intercept triggering shock wave that caused mis reports of explosion. Quotes PX phoning relatives from plane that all is ok on board

[staplefordheli]

all over now mis comms being quoted on Sky well there is a relief and two happy Dutch AF pilots who got to go supersonic :ok:

[Captivep]

RE the Google translation of the News report: might have been more intelligible in Dutch!

[MightyOneFiveTwo]

re the translation.... as a pax, not being able to get to the can at the gate has been a source of distress to me as well. :E

[I.R.PIRATE]

Does this happen often with Vueling?

Sounds like it should...

[fortuna76]

For little information that is available it appears to be the following:

1) Vueling pilots loose contact with ATC on handover from Brussels airspace.

2) Vueling pilots regain contact with Amsterdam controllers but by now F16s are already on route.

3) About a minute later F16 appear outside the cockpit window and the pilot of the Vueling plane in his shock uses the unfortunate frase to ATC: "are we being hijacked". :ugh:

4) Plane remains in contact with ATC and finally lands at the remote runway at Schiphol.

5) Plane sits at the moment on the runway waiting for thorough inspection (I hope they are gentile).

Again this it what it appears to be. The story might have been different. However the wording from the pilot to ATC in number 3 was like that and was the reason for continued alert phase at Schiphol... to be continued...

[The SSK]

Plane sits at the moment on the runway waiting for thorough inspection (I hope they are gentile).

As opposed to the case in Tel Aviv, no doubt

[foxcharliep2]

Does this happen often with Vueling?

Yes, specially on AMS flights, happened last year as well and again F-16 had to be scrambled for them ... must be the horrid Spanglish used :ugh:

[akaSylvia]

Flughafen Schiphol: Funkpanne löst Kampfjetalarm über Amsterdam aus - Panorama | STERN.DE (http://www.stern.de/panorama/flughafen-schiphol-funkpanne-loest-kampfjetalarm-ueber-amsterdam-aus-1886271.html) has the story but isn't really including anything new.

Here's my quick translation:

The hostage situation onboard an aircraft in Amsterdam was a false alarm. Passengers on the Spanish Airbus told Dutch radio NOS that there were no problems on board. "We are surprised at what is going on here," said one woman.

The Vueling Airbus departed from Málaga with 193 passengers and was intercepted by two F-16 fighter jets of the Dutch military and, according to the Military police, surounded by security forces. The passengers were initially left on board the aircraft. The National Coordination Centre for Combating Terrorism explained that there was no radio contact with the pilots and it was not possible to dismiss the possibility of a hostage situation.

The Spanish airline denied that there was a hostage situation onboard their aircraft. A representative said that according to Madrid online news "elmundo.es" and "elpais.com" on Wednesday, there were no issues on board the aircraft, which landed at Amsterdam. She stated that it was a misunderstanding in the communications between the pilots and the control tower. The aircraft approached the airport using an atypical route.

[I.R.PIRATE]

Few things scare me as much as listening to Vueling on the radio...:suspect:

[Hotel Tango]

Yet, strangely enough, they are one of the only Spanish companies I know that speak English on the r/t in Spain (presumably SOPS because of their multinational crews - including some Brits).

[foxcharliep2]

Double trouble with them - you have the expats in English on r/t in Spain and the Spanglish speakers flying abroad...:rolleyes:

[1stspotter]

Tonight on the news it was mentioned that authorities suspected a hijack because Arabic music was heard in the background by ATC while communicating with the Vueling aircraft.
Police is doing an investigation on this.

Sounds strange. Could the music come from an illegal radio broadcast on the FM freq. used by ATC?

[DIBO]

FWIW: Partial QRA recording (http://www.milspotters.nl/opnames/212/)

[F14]

sounds like a set up on the link. "737 type aircraft" from a "cheap charter type airline" :D . I can't believe intercept pilots wouldn't know every detail about the aircraft they (if they are carrying hot weapons) are about to destroy.

In 1940, every school boy could tell all aircraft types...

Think most "professional pilots" could differentiate most fighters. This must be the most unprofessional thing I've ever heard

[korrol]

As a 1940 schoolboy I can confirm F14's comment above. We short -trousered lads would indeed have been able to tell the difference between -say - a Dornier and Spitfire .

In fact it was a Spitfire which caused the most damage to our little town by crashing into the house next to our school. The pilot baled out safely and was promptly picked up by the local baker in his bread-van and arrested because he had a "funny accent"......( He was Canadian).

As for the Dorniers - well they continue to ply the sky above our town, and still seem to have out-of-sync props. They now call them 228s apparently but they've yet to do us any harm.

I don't agree with F14 . I don't think the intercept pilot's radio description of the Vueling airliner was actually too wide-of-the-mark (in fact a nice plug for Vueling's low-cost air fares) and, fair-play, he didn't shoot.

...But this incident could be the start of a new trend - "DIY Airline Hi-jacking". It'll keeps us all on our toes without actually troubling those Al-Qaeda guys or requiring them to have to stump-up for air tickets - cheap though Vueling's may be. ;)

...Oh and by the way - I may have got my birthday slightly wrong in my Pprune membership :( - just in case you wondered.

[ACCP]

737-type or Airbus? I know, they're hard to tell apart when you're not an aviation specialist. :ugh:

[1stspotter]

For a reason unknown to me the original thread on the long thought to be a hijack of the Vueling A320 flying Malaga-Amsterdam has been deleted. Thanks administrator for just deleting it without any reason or communication.

The reason for posting it was that lessons could be learned from this incident.

I found the posting in the Google cache
As we know on Wednesday August 29 Vueling flight VY8386 flying Malaga-Amsterdam was intercepted by 2 Dutch F16's while on its way to Amsterdam. Reason was a strong indication the flight was hijacked.

The indications are based on:
-aircraft entered Dutch airspace with no ATC contact
-after a while the radio contact was established
-when the pilot noticed two F16's he asked ATC : 'are we being hijacked?'
-The aircraft made a right turn while ATC requested a left turn. According the press this behaviour is an indication the flight is hijacked.
-ATC heard Arab music in the background

However the pilot never used a squak code to indicate hijack or radio failure.

After landing at Schiphol the aircraft was parked at a remote apron. The passengers were not aware there was a possible hijack. They read it on their mobile phones there was an issue.

Crew were investigated by the Dutch police. On Friday the investigation was finished.
No news yet on why the miscommunication happened.

I also read the aircraft flew a different course because the pilot was instructed to so do by the F16 pilots.
----

Anyway, today a video was published made by one of the passengers. It shows the F16 flying next to the aircraft and what happened after landing.

*EXCLUSIVE* Vueling Flight VLG8366 - YouTube

[BOAC]

Do you mean this (http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/494155-ams-hijack.html) thread '1stspotter'?:ugh:

[Dg800]

Wow. Those F16s really really do get "up close and personal". :ok: A sight I hope never to experience myself... :=

[Hotel Tango]

What a ridiculous carry-on after it was established that it was a misunderstanding. I thought the Yanks were bad!

[1stspotter]

No, I posted about this incident here but post was removed.

http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/494335-vueling-vy8386-atc-lost-radiocontact-misunderstanding-leads-f16-intercept.html

I like to keep you all updated about the investigation performed by the authorities.
It is weird ATC heared Arab music supposed to be broadcasted from the aircraft. It is also weird the aircraft made a left turn while ATC requested a right turn.

Lets hope this sort of incident will not happen again and that lessons are learned. One of the major goals of this board I guess

[Christodoulidesd]

Incident: Vueling A320 near La Coruna on Sep 1st 2012, knife found in cabin (http://avherald.com/h?article=455404ca&opt=0)

[Armchairflyer]

Is it just me or is terminating a flight and incurring a 2.5 hour delay because a knife belonging to an obviously harmless passenger falls out of a backpack slightly over the top?

[Hotel Tango]

A first reconstruction of the event showed that the knife was difficult to detect due to the type of backpack despite all various filters available on the monitoring equipment.

All that money spent on security for nothing :ugh:

[Jetdriver]

For a reason unknown to me the original thread on the long thought to be a hijack of the Vueling A320 flying Malaga-Amsterdam has been deleted. Thanks administrator for just deleting it without any reason or communication.

Having just checked, I note that you have so far made 14 posts on PPRuNe and 4 of them on this subject. None of your posts have ever been deleted and the 4 on this subject are included in this thread.

Perhaps you were just too lazy to look? Even though the original thread had been pointed out to you by another poster.

[Alex757]

I'm confused ... lost comms, F16's... makes sense ... now people are saying knives and stuff? Can someone please explain exactly what happened!

[DaveReidUK]

Having just checked, I note that you have so far made 14 posts on PPRuNe and 4 of them on this subject. None of your posts have ever been deleted and the 4 on this subject are included in this thread.

Perhaps you were just too lazy to look? Even though the original thread had been pointed out to you by another poster.

In fairness to the OP, his post of 31st Aug 2012, 09:44, still cached on Google, certainly doesn't show up on a PPrune search:

Vueling VY8386 ATC lost radiocontact and misunderstanding leads to F16 intercept

As we know on Wednesday August 29 Vueling flight VY8386 flying
Malaga-Amsterdam was intercepted by 2 Dutch F16's while on its way to Amsterdam. Reason was a strong indication the flight was hijacked.

The indications are based on:
-aircraft entered Dutch airspace with no ATC contact
-after a while the radio contact was established
-when the pilot noticed two F16's he asked ATC : 'are we being hijacked?'
-The aircraft made a right turn while ATC requested a left turn. According the press this behaviour is an indication the flight is hijacked.
-ATC heard Arab music in the background

However the pilot never used a squak code to indicate hijack or radio failure.

After landing at Schiphol the aircraft was parked at a remote apron. The passengers were not aware there was a possible hijack. They read it on their mobile phones there was an issue.

Crew were investigated by the Dutch police. On Friday the investigation was finished.

No news yet on why the miscommunication happened.

I also read the aircraft flew a different course because the pilot was instructed to so do by the F16 pilots.

Any updates will be posted

A vBulletin glitch, perhaps ?

[Hotel Tango]

Alex757, that was a seperate incident but with the same airline and coincidentally going to AMS too.