Serbian civilian aircraft intercepted by Hungarian Gripens

Hungarian Gripen fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a Serbian civilian plane early Monday evening after a report of a bomb threat on board, the defence ministry told MTI.

The airliner travelling from Belgrade to St. Petersburg received the bomb threat over Poland, from where it was turned back, the ministry said. NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre then alerted the Gripen fighters of the Hungarian armed forces.

The Gripens identified the aircraft once it entered Hungarian airspace and escorted it to the Hungary-Serbia border.

The Gripens remained airborne near the border until the plane landed, the ministry said.

Source: MTI