Pilot in stable condition after Gripen emergency landing – UPDATE

Budapest, June 10 (MTI) – A pilot who ejected during emergency landing from a Gripen fighter on Wednesday morning is in a stable condition in a Kecskemet hospital, the deputy chief of staff said.

Zoltan Orosz told a press conference that initial inspections have shown that the JAS-39 C Gripen fighter can be repaired. Soon after taking off from the Kecskemet airbase, in southern Hungary, after 9am, the highly experienced pilot, Sandor Kadar, reported that he was unable to withdraw the front landing gear despite repeated attempts.

Orosz said that all Hungarian Gripens will now be checked as a routine procedure, and they will stay on ground until that is completed. However, he added that this type of error would not justify “banning the entire product range”. He said there was no connection between today’s emergency landing and another Gripen accident that happened during a military exercise in the Czech Republic last month.

Orosz said the two Gripens out of service would not impact Hungary’s capabilities to protect its airspace or fulfil international obligations.

The radical nationalist Jobbik party urged that all Hungary’s Gripens should be “thoroughly” checked.

The opposition Socialists demanded that the defence minister should immediately release information on both Gripen accidents to a closed meeting of parliament’s defence committee.

The small Egyutt party also demanded that government agencies investigate “all relevant details” and that all Gripens should stay on ground before the probe is concluded.

Photo: MTI