Fighter jet scrambled to escort London-Sofia passenger aircraft following security alert over Bosnia and Herzegovina
BUDAPEST, Hungary — A Wizz Air passenger aircraft en route from London to Sofia made an emergency landing in Budapest on Monday after a bomb threat triggered an immediate air defense response. Hungarian military authorities scrambled a Gripen fighter jet to intercept and escort the commercial airliner safely to the ground.
The Airbus A321, which departed London Luton Airport for the Bulgarian capital, was diverted while cruising over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The flight landed safely at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport around 12:09 p.m. local time, where armed police units and security personnel initiated mandatory screening protocols on the aircraft, luggage, and passengers.
Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi stated that the air force deployed the Gripen jet within minutes of receiving the security alert to escort the passenger plane through Hungarian airspace into Budapest. The military escort returned to its home base in Kecskemét once the passenger plane touched down safely, leaving the civil airfield under the operational control of Hungarian police.
A thorough sweep of the plane revealed no explosive devices or hazardous materials. Wizz Air later confirmed that all specialized inspections were concluded with nothing suspicious found, clearing the aircraft to resume its scheduled flight path.
Flight-tracking records indicate the aircraft took off from London Luton at 8:33 a.m. GMT with a scheduled arrival in Sofia at 1:25 p.m. local time before the mid-air diversion altered its route. Wizz Air confirmed that the emergency divert adhered strictly to standard international security protocols, adding that crew and passenger safety remains the carrier’s primary priority.
