'If this plane disappears, this is what it will look like': Man feared missing after posting picture on Facebook

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A Dutch traveller's joke has left his friends confused, grieving and wondering if he's alive.

Before boarding a flight, Cor Pan posted what seemed to be a joke photo of his plane, saying, "if the plane disappears, this is what it looks like".

The post to Facebook was made last night, and location-stamped from Amsterdam's airport city of Schiphol.

Friends laughed along with the reference to missing Malaysia flight MH370, wishing him and his partner happy holidays.

'If this plane disappears, this is what it will look like': The Dutch man joked on Facebook before boarding the flight. Facebook

However their comments later turned to shock and disbelief.

One wrote "rest in peace dear Cor and (his partner) Neeltje, and we wish strength to your family - what a nightmare this is."

The photo went viral and was picked up by the world's media, now having been shared more than 11,000 times.

But airline buffs have since pointed out that Pan the photo is actually of a different Boeing 777-200.

One of Pan's friends posted this photo of the couple along with a message of condolence.Credit: Facebook

The plane in the Facebook photo has a registration number 9M-MRC - as indicated by the "RC" under the nose wheel.

The downed plane was 9M-MRD.

Another clue that the photo is of the wrong plane is that Pan posted the photo a full hour and a half before MH17 took off, according to Flightradar24.

Earlier this week Pan posted photos to his Facebook page of his vacation and said he was in Indonesia, even though the post was location-stamped to the Netherlands.

If that's the case Pan is likely in for a shock the next time he connects his phone to the internet.