Alert in Hungarian airspace. Passenger plane intercepted at NATO's request after it cut off communications
Two Gripen fighter jets were emergency lifted from the ground after a passenger plane flying from Tel Aviv to Prague lost contact with air traffic control. The alert was triggered at NATO's request, and the aircraft was intercepted over Hungary.
Gripen planes accompanied the ship until it left Hungarian airspace. PHOTO: archive
A maximum security alert was activated during the evening of Thursday, June 11, in the airspace of Hungary, after an Airbus A321 with hundreds of passengers on board did not respond to air traffic controllers' calls. The situation prompted NATO's Center for Combined Air Operations to request the emergency intervention of the Hungarian Armed Forces, which raised two JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets from the ground.
The announcement was made by the Prime Minister of Hungary, Peter Magyar, on Facebook.
The aircraft was flying between Tel Aviv and Prague and was crossing Hungarian airspace when radio contact with the crew was lost. According to the Budapest authorities, the highest level of alert provided for such incidents has been activated.
Military aircraft immediately took off to intercept the aircraft and monitor the situation. After approaching the Airbus, the military pilots established visual contact with the crew, and radio communications were soon resumed.
In accordance with NATO airspace defense procedures, the civilian aircraft was escorted by Gripen jets until it exited Hungarian airspace, and the Airbus then continued its flight to Prague as originally planned.
The Hungarian authorities stated that the plane left the country's airspace at 20:10.
After completing the mission, the two fighter jets returned to the Kecskemét air base.
The Prime Minister of Hungary, Péter Magyar, praised the reaction of the structures involved in the management of the incident.
“The Air Police Service of the Hungarian Armed Forces and NATO's integrated air defense system operated effectively throughout the entire incident,” he wrote.
So far, authorities have not indicated a threat to the safety of the flight, nor have they offered an explanation as to why the flight crew cut off communications with air traffic control.
