A 24-year-old man stole a Cessna 172 light aircraft from an airfield in Kalocsa, southern Hungary, early Saturday morning, taking off without permission and heading towards Paks, located across the Danube River. Hungarian military radar detected the unauthorized flight, prompting two Gripen fighter jets on alert to be scrambled, according to local reports.
As the Cessna approached the Paks nuclear power plant, it began performing aerial maneuvers in a restricted airspace that prohibits civilian flights within a 3-kilometer radius and up to 6,000 meters high.
Eventually, the aircraft made an emergency landing in a sunflower field near Gerjen, causing the landing gear to break and leaving the plane tilted on one wing. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported. The Gripen jets located the aircraft and remained on site until medical helicopters and emergency response teams arrived, local media outlet kecskemet365.hu reported.
Meanwhile, police apprehended the pilot, identified as a 24-year-old from Szomor, who was reportedly drunk and disoriented. After the emergency landing, he abandoned the aircraft and attempted to flee on foot. When a driver stopped to assist him, the suspect allegedly tried to steal the driver’s vehicle but was ultimately detained.
In addition to notifying aviation authorities, an on-site inspection and data collection are underway, involving experts. Police in Bács-Kiskun County have charged the man with vehicle theft, while investigators in Tolna County will initiate proceedings for robbery and other offenses. Following interrogation, the man is expected to be placed in pre-trial detention, and authorities will seek his arrest. Police are also investigating whether he was under the influence of substances other than alcohol.
Moreover, in close coordination with aviation authorities, a joint control operation was promptly initiated at the Kalocsa airport, with similar measures expected to be implemented at other airports nationwide to prevent the recurrence of such an incident.
