Hungarian fighter jet escorts Wizz Air flight to emergency landing in Budapest
A mid-air bomb threat forced a plane from London to divert to Hungary, where a Gripen jet guided it to the ground.
By Alexander Novak ·
A Wizz Air passenger plane diverted to Budapest on Sunday after a bomb threat issued mid-flight over central Europe. The aircraft, originally bound for Sofia, received an escort from the Hungarian air force before touching down at Liszt Ferenc International Airport.
Wizz Air flight 4302 left London Luton at 08:33 GMT. The plane was scheduled to reach the Bulgarian capital at 13:25 local time. Instead, it landed in Budapest at 12:09 local time. Flight tracking data from FlightAware confirmed the change in route and the specific landing time.
Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendis confirmed the military response. He stated that the airline requested permission to land in Budapest immediately after receiving the threat. "Within minutes, a Hungarian Defence Forces Gripen fighter jet took to the skies and provided an escort for the passenger aircraft," Ruszin-Szendis wrote on social media. The fighter jet returned to base once the plane was on the ground, and police took control of the scene.
Wizz Air reported that the plane taxied to a designated stand for a full security check. A spokesperson said authorities carried out necessary inspections on the aircraft and everyone on board. The airline later announced that the inspection was completed and nothing was found. The company said it was cooperating fully with authorities and that the safety of passengers and crew remains its highest priority.
The flight is expected to depart again shortly. No injuries were reported during the diversion or the subsequent ground handling of the aircraft.
Source: BBC News
