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Wizz Air Flight Diverted After Bomb Threat, Hungarian Fighter Jet Scrambled
A Hungarian Gripen fighter jet was scrambled to escort a Wizz Air passenger aircraft to Budapest after a bomb threat forced the flight travelling from London to Sofia, Bulgaria, to divert mid-air.
The Airbus A321neo, which departed London Luton Airport at 8:33am on Monday, was scheduled to land at Sofia International Airport at approximately 1:25pm local time. However, the reported bomb threat prompted authorities to redirect the aircraft to Hungary.
Hungary’s Defence Minister, Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, said a Gripen fighter jet was deployed within minutes to escort the passenger aircraft and ensure its safe landing in Budapest.
According to information reported by Sky News on Monday, the aircraft landed safely at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport at 12:08pm.
Wizz Air confirmed the incident in a statement published on its website and social media platforms, explaining that the bomb threat was received while the aircraft was airborne.
The airline said the flight was diverted to Budapest in line with established security protocols and procedures.
“Wizz Air confirms that today’s London Luton–Sofia flight was diverted to Budapest following a bomb threat received during the flight.
“The aircraft diverted and landed safely at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport in accordance with the relevant security protocols and procedures, before taxiing to a designated stand, where the relevant authorities carried out the necessary security checks on the aircraft and passengers,” the airline stated.
Wizz Air added that it was cooperating fully with the relevant authorities, stressing that the safety of passengers and crew remained its highest priority.
Following the aircraft’s arrival, Hungarian police and other security officials commenced additional security measures, while authorities inspected the plane and conducted necessary checks.
However, details surrounding the bomb threat, including its source and whether any suspicious objects were discovered onboard, remained unclear as of Monday afternoon.
Sky News also reported that it was not immediately known whether the threat was communicated from inside the aircraft or from the ground. It was equally unclear whether passengers and crew had been allowed to disembark.
Flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 showed that the aircraft was originally scheduled to arrive in Sofia at about 1:25pm local time before its route was redirected towards Hungary over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The incident has triggered heightened security measures at Budapest airport as authorities continue investigations into the reported bomb threat.
