A Gripen fighter jet from the Hungarian armed forces escorted a Wizz Air passenger aircraft until it landed at Budapest Airport.
The decision was made following a bomb threat, Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi announced on Monday. The flight in question was operated by Wizz Air and was travelling from London to Sofia.
The aircraft diverted from its original route and requested permission to land at Budapest’s Liszt Ferenc International Airport, Agerpres reports. In response, NATO’s air defence alert service issued an “ALPHA” scramble order.
A Hungarian Air Force Gripen fighter jet took off and escorted the passenger aircraft until it landed in Budapest. The military personnel then returned to their base in Kecskemét, while police carried out further security measures.
This is not the first incident of its kind in recent weeks. In mid-October, for example, a plane flying from Tel Aviv to Vienna was diverted to Sofia following a similar alert.