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:
