The plane was forced to return to its port of origin, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport — in the Netherlands.2003 file photo Everything seemed alright on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines 747 flight KL685 en-route to Mexico, Friday, April 8 — until the captain hailed U.S. flight control for permission to pass over U.S. airspace and permission was denied. Little did he know, the names of two passengers on board had been linked by Mexican authorities to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security watchlist, who then contacted U.S. authorities. Attempts were made to divert and have the passengers disembark in Canada , but ultimately this failed — and left without an alternative route, the plane was forced to return to its port of origin, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport — in the Netherlands. Flight KL685 carried 287 passengers and 15 horses, all of whom had to put up with a day's delay, and among the passengers, Frederic Hennekens, a lawyer from Antwerp . Hennekens later made an appearance on the Dutch behind-the-news television show NOVA, offering his personal experience on the matter. "Just before the plane took off I saw the Marechaussee enter, and a bit later arrest one man. Later I heard from a Telegraaf journalist that someone else had been apprehended at the gates." #1 U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security seal NOVA'''s correspondent Twan Huys'' reported from New York, having spoken with the United States Department of Homeland Security . He said that according to the department the first warning that something was wrong with the plane did not originate with the pilots or the KLM, it came from the Mexican officials, per the U.S.-Mexican treaty on passenger lists. According to the report the department also said that the KLM is aware of this "passengers watchlist" or "no-fly list", and blame the airline for not checking the list properly at Schiphol Airport.
The plane was forced to return to its port of origin, Amsterdam — in the Netherlands.2003 file photo Everything seemed alright on 747 flight KL685 en-route to Mexico, Friday, April 8 — until the captain hailed U.S. flight control for permission to pass over U.S. airspace and permission was denied. Little did he know, the names of two passengers on board had been linked by Mexican authorities to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security watchlist, who then contacted U.S. authorities. Attempts were made to divert and have the passengers disembark in , but ultimately this failed — and left without an alternative route, the plane was forced to return to its port of origin, Amsterdam — in the Netherlands. Flight KL685 carried 287 passengers and 15 horses, all of whom had to put up with a day's delay, and among the passengers, Frederic Hennekens, a lawyer from . Hennekens later made an appearance on the Dutch behind-the-news television show NOVA, offering his personal experience on the matter. "Just before the plane took off I saw the enter, and a bit later arrest one man. Later I heard from a journalist that someone else had been apprehended at the gates." #1 U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security seal NOVA'''s correspondent Twan Huys'' reported from New York, having spoken with the . He said that according to the department the first warning that something was wrong with the plane did not originate with the pilots or the KLM, it came from the Mexican officials, per the U.S.-Mexican treaty on passenger lists. According to the report the department also said that the KLM is aware of this "passengers watchlist" or "no-fly list", and blame the airline for not checking the list properly at Schiphol Airport.
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Schiphol Airport
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KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
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Canada
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Schiphol Airport
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Antwerp
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Marechaussee
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Telegraaf
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United States Department of Homeland Security