Paris-bound plane evacuated in Amsterdam after 'threat'

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Paris-bound plane evacuated in Amsterdam after 'threat'

AFP
November 15, 2015, 3:50 am

The Hague (AFP) - An Air France flight bound for Paris was evacuated and searched Saturday before leaving Amsterdam after "threats" were made against it on Twitter, Dutch police and the airline said.

Air France said in a statement "that flight AF 1741 on November 142 from Amsterdam to Paris Charles de Gaulle ... was the target of an anonymous threat on Twitter."

"Passengers are being helped by staff in Amsterdam, while the authorities carry out a complete check of the plane."

After the luggage was re-screened and the plane searched, the airline began to re-board the flight a few hours later.

It had been due to take off around 2:45 pm from Schipol, but was now set to leave around 5:35 pm (1635 GMT). No problem was found aboard the plane, an Air France spokesman told AFP.

"We always take threats very seriously and we decided here to evacuate the passengers and to search the aircraft," Dutch police spokesman Dennis Muller told AFP earlier.

Air France confirmed to AFP that all the passengers had been taken off the plane and their luggage re-screened. The plane was also searched.

The airline had been alerted to the threat by its security officials which had contacted both Schipol and the flight crew.

Following Friday's attacks in Paris, the Netherlands has decided to tighten border controls as well as checks at its airports and railways.