A bomb threat has forced a Wizz Air flight travelling from London to Sofia, Bulgaria, to divert to Budapest, Hungary, where a fighter jet was deployed to escort the aircraft to safety.
The Airbus A321neo departed London Luton Airport at 8:33 am on Monday and was scheduled to arrive at Sofia International Airport at about 1:25 pm local time before the reported threat prompted its diversion.
Hungary’s Defence Minister, Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, said a Hungarian Gripen fighter jet was deployed “within minutes” to escort the aircraft and ensure its safe landing in Budapest.
The aircraft landed at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport at 12:08 pm, according to information reported by Sky News on Monday.
Wizz Air confirmed the incident in a statement published on its website and social media platforms, saying the threat was received while the aircraft was in flight.
“Wizz Air confirms that today’s London Luton–Sofia flight was diverted to Budapest following a bomb threat received during the flight.
“The aircraft diverted and landed safely at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport in accordance with the relevant security protocols and procedures, before taxiing to a designated stand, where the relevant authorities carried out the necessary security checks on the aircraft and passengers.
“Wizz Air is cooperating fully with the authorities. The safety of passengers and crew remains our highest priority,” the airline said.
The airline also confirmed that authorities were inspecting the aircraft at the Budapest airport, while Hungarian police carried out additional security measures following its arrival.
However, details surrounding the threat, including who was responsible and whether any suspicious objects had been discovered, remained unclear as of Monday afternoon.
Sky News reported that it was also unclear whether the threat was communicated onboard the aircraft or from the ground, and whether passengers and crew had disembarked.
Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed that the aircraft had been scheduled to arrive in Sofia at about 1:25 pm local time before its route was diverted towards Hungary over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The incident comes amid heightened security concerns following the reported bomb threat, with Hungarian authorities continuing their inspection of the aircraft.
Authorities had yet to disclose further details about the threat or the outcome of the security checks as of the time of filing this report.