A Wizz Air passenger aircraft travelling from London to Sofia made an emergency landing in Hungary on Monday following a bomb threat, prompting the deployment of fighter jets and emergency response teams.
The Airbus A321neo was escorted by Hungarian Gripen fighter jets to Liszt Ferenc International Airport, where it landed safely at 12:08 pm local time.
Firefighters, police and counter-terrorism personnel were placed on alert as security inspections began.
Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi confirmed that the country’s air defence system was activated after the threat was reported. NATO’s air defence alert system issued an ALPHA warning, leading Gripen jets to take off and escort the aircraft to Budapest before returning to their base.
The plane had diverted its route while flying over Bosnia and Herzegovina before seeking permission to land in the Hungarian capital.
Airport operations were also affected, with Runway 2 temporarily closed and flights redirected to another runway. The aircraft was moved to stand B5 for further checks.
Wizz Air confirmed that authorities were inspecting the plane and passengers. However, officials have not yet revealed whether any suspicious objects were discovered or if the threat was considered credible.
