02.11.2026 16:50
A bomb scare in European skies caused a passenger plane to change its route. After a bomb threat against a Wizz Air plane on the London-Sofia flight, a security alarm was raised, and a fighter jet belonging to the Hungarian Air Force took off. The passenger plane made an emergency landing in Budapest under military escort.
A passenger plane belonging to Wizz Air took off from London, the capital of the UK, bound for Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, and had to make an emergency landing following a bomb threat. A Hungarian Gripen-type fighter jet was scrambled to escort the aircraft, and the passenger plane was directed to land at Budapest Airport.
GRIPEN FIGHTER JET ESCORTED
Hungarian Defense Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said in a statement after the incident that NATO's air defense alarm system issued an ALPHA alarm. Thereupon, a Gripen-type fighter jet belonging to the Hungarian Air Force took off within minutes.
The Airbus A321neo passenger plane, which changed course over Bosnian airspace, headed for Liszt Ferenc International Airport in Budapest. The aircraft landed safely on the second runway at 12:08 local time.
SECURITY MEASURES INCREASED AT THE AIRPORT
Before the plane landed, fire crews, police, and counterterrorism units were kept on standby at the airport. After landing, the aircraft was moved to parking position B5 at the airport.
As part of security operations, the second runway was temporarily closed to flight traffic, while other landings and takeoffs were reported to be carried out on an alternative runway.
SEARCH OF PASSENGERS AND AIRCRAFT BEGAN
In a statement by Wizz Air, it was stated that the aircraft landed safely and that authorities were conducting a security inspection of the plane and passengers.
The airline emphasized that they were acting in full cooperation with the authorities and that the safety of passengers and crew was their highest priority.
Hungarian Defense Minister Ruszin-Szendi, meanwhile, stated that military personnel were capable of taking action against possible threats in a short time and assessed the intervention aimed at ensuring the security of the country's airspace.
No official statement has yet been made regarding the source of the bomb attack threat or whether any suspicious substance was found on the aircraft.