Two Hungarian Air Force JAS-39C Gripens were scrambled when a British Airways flight from Dubai failed to contact Hungary’s civil air traffic control before entering the airspace.
The highest level alert was ordered, the defence ministry said. The Gripens took off at 12.55pm to intercept and identify the aircraft upon entering Hungary’s airspace and secure its safe passage.
Once the Boeing saw the Gripens, it got in contact with ground control and left the Hungarian airspace. The Gripens finished their mission at 13.21pm and returned to base, the ministry said.