The video will start in 8 Cancel

Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A Saudi Airlines passenger plane was feared hijacked after a pilot mistakenly made a distress call - twice.

Management of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila have revealed the button was unintentionally pushed "but the problem was it was pushed twice".

Flight 872 travelling from the Red sea city of Jeddah to Manila was placed in isolation on the runway as a full-scale emergency response swung into action.

In a message 20 miles from the airport, the pilot had advised the control tower that the Boeing 777 plane, believed to be carrying about 300 passengers, was "under threat".

(Image: CNN) (Image: ANC)

Authorities surrounded the jet, parked in an isolated area of the airport.

Passengers on board later revealed they were not told what was happening but were told to take out their passports for verification.

Reports soon emerged the alert was a false alarm.

Saudi Airlines said on its Twitter account: "False alarm for hijacking SV flight#872"

Manila airport manager Eddie Monreal said: "It (the button) was unintentionally pushed. But the problem is it was pushed twice."

He said airport authorities asked for a verification of the emergency message and the flight crew confirmed the distress call.

He said authorities deployed security forces around the aircraft as a precaution.

TV stations showed Flight SV872 parked near a ramp with security personnel standing nearby while passengers descended from a staircase.

Passengers were later allowed to disembark.

It was not immediately clear how the confirmation was made, but internationally known emergency codes were used by both the flight crew and control tower, Mr Monreal said.

However, the captain later told the control tower that a button indicating a hijacking was in progress had been pushed accidentally.

Despite the assurance, airport authorities quickly convened a crisis committee, Mr Monreal said.

"We can never play around with safety and security," Mr Monreal said.

"We decided that we will not take that call hook, line and sinker saying that it was a mistake."

(Image: Getty)

The Boeing 777 was isolated after it landed and security personnel were deployed as a precaution.

The passengers were later allowed to disembark and told reporters that everything had been normal in the cabin until relatives informed them by mobile phone about reports that the aircraft may have been hijacked.

The 71-year-old airline, which operates 119 planes, said on its official Twitter feed later on Tuesday that there was a false alarm of a hijacking aboard the flight.

Monreal said the plane was carrying 410 passengers and 21 crew members.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said it is investigating the cause of the incident.

"Appropriate penalties and sanctions will be imposed on the erring pilot if the result is indeed a human error," it said in a statement.

The incident came after Philippine officials in February announced they had strengthened security for Saudi Arabia's embassy in Manila and its national airline because of a possible threat.

At the time, officials also said additional armed officers were posted in the boarding area for the Saudi flag carrier and to guard the airline's luggage.

It did not elaborate on the threat. However, it came as the Sunni-ruled kingdom has been on increasingly hostile terms with Shiite power Iran.

In a text message to Reuters, Roberto Lim, undersecretary for aviation at the Department of Transportation, said police were "still monitoring as to why a hijack signal was issued by the pilot".

He added "persons will be interviewed".