Bomb alert on board a passenger plane of the low-cost airline Wizz Air, which left London and headed to Sofia, Bulgaria. The aircraft had to interrupt its journey and change route, heading towards Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Budapest, Hungary. To ensure the safety of the landing, a Hungarian Air Force Gripen fighter was also taken off after the NATO warning system was activated.
The Hungarian Defense Minister, Ruszin-Szendi Romulusz, confirmed the incident with a message published on his Facebook profile. According to the minister, the air defense system reacted within a few minutes, allowing the civilian plane to reach Budapest.
The bomb threat and the emergency landing in Budapest
The plane, an Airbus A321neo as reported by the Hungarian newspaper Kisalfoldwas over Bosnia-Herzegovina when it reversed course and headed towards Hungary. The aircraft landed regularly in Budapest at around 12:08 local time.
Fire brigade vehicles were also present at the airport, ready to intervene if necessary. According to the first reconstruction of the local press, the plane was parked in the B5 area of the airport, while the second runway was temporarily closed and air traffic transferred to the other available runway.
The minister specified that, after landing, the management of the emergency passed to the Hungarian police. At the moment there are no official communications on the possible presence of explosives on board: the bomb threat is not equivalent to the discovery of a device.
The Gripen fighter took off after the NATO alert
The Hungarian Defense Minister, Ruszin-Szendi Romulusz, explained that the alarm led to the activation of the Alpha operational readiness of NATO’s integrated air defense.
The Hungarian Gripen fighter took off within a few minutes and assisted the civilian aircraft until it landed in Budapest. Once the operation was completed, the military jet returned to the Kecskemét air base, while the police authorities took control of the subsequent security procedures.
What is NATO’s Alpha alert
Alpha alert is an operational procedure that involves the immediate take-off of military aircraft to deal with real-world situations requiring air defense intervention, including emergencies involving civilian aircraft.
Fighters are used to identify, track or assist affected aircraft. The takeoff takes place within the Atlantic Alliance’s integrated air defense system, which maintains aircraft in operational readiness to intervene quickly.