A Hungarian Air Force Gripen fighter jet has crashed near Szolnok for reasons that are currently unknown, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Monday. The pilot successfully ejected from the aircraft.

Pilot successfully ejects

“For reasons that are currently unknown, one of the Hungarian Defence Forces’ Gripen fighter jets crashed near Szolnok a few minutes ago,” Magyar said in a statement on Facebook.

He added that the pilot had successfully ejected and that an investigation into the incident was already under way. The Defence Minister was travelling to the scene, while further information was expected to be provided shortly.

Pilot in ambulance

Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi stated in a Facebook video that the pilot is in an ambulance but was not injured, because the pilot did everything possible to land the aircraft on military property.

According to the minister, an investigation into the incident is already underway, and he and the Chief of the General Staff are heading to the scene, from where they will provide updates on the situation.

No reported injuries or damage to civilian infrastructure

According to the preliminary report, there were no personal injuries and no damage to civilian infrastructure in the crash. The exact circumstances of the accident, including what caused the fighter jet to go down, remain unclear.

We will update this article with any updates.

UPDATE: Video

Video footage has been shared of the smoke following the crash of the Gripen:

UPDATE 2.0

According to Mayor Mihály Györfi, the pilot ejected, and based on the latest information, there were no casualties in the accident, only property damage. Firefighters from Szolnok and the surrounding towns arrived at the scene in large numbers. The city has offered the Hungarian Armed Forces all necessary assistance.

UPDATE 3.0: Pilot hospitalised after Gripen malfunction

Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi later provided further details from Szolnok, confirming that the pilot survived and had been transferred to the Hungarian Defence Forces’ hospital in Budapest.

According to the military’s account, the Gripen developed a malfunction while taking part in an air-combat training exercise. The aircraft issued an emergency warning, prompting its accompanying fighter to attempt to escort it back to the airport. However, the aircraft’s onboard instrumentation and electronic systems subsequently stopped functioning.

The pilot managed to keep the aircraft under control and attempted to land at Szolnok. During the final stage of the approach, however, the Gripen began an unexpected manoeuvre on the ground, prompting the pilot to eject.

After the ejection, the aircraft veered to the left, came to a stop and caught fire. The military said the pilot had managed to avoid carrying out the manoeuvre over a populated area and continued trying to control the aircraft until the last possible moment.

Firefighters reached the scene within five minutes and extinguished the blaze, helping to prevent more serious damage at the airport.

Gripen was carrying missiles and ammunition

The military also revealed that the fighter had been carrying air-to-air missiles and cannon ammunition at the time of the accident.

The aircraft had been conducting one-on-one air-combat training when the fault occurred, forcing the exercise to be abandoned. As it was already clear that the aircraft could not safely continue to Kecskemét, the decision was made to land at Szolnok.

Investigators will now examine the aircraft and its flight data. The Gripen’s black box is also due to be analysed, with further information expected as the investigation progresses.