Stolen Cessna flies toward Hungarian nuclear plant; air force scrambled
Translated from Serbian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
News
Named sources
Outcome reported
- A man stole a Cessna 172 aircraft from an airport in Kaloča, Hungary, and flew toward the Paks nuclear power plant.
- Hungary's air force scrambled fighter jets after the plane was detected by radar, as the nuclear plant is a high-security facility.
- The aircraft made an emergency landing in a cornfield near Gerjen, and the 24-year-old pilot was apprehended by police after attempting to flee.
A stolen Cessna 172 aircraft triggered a significant security alert in Hungary on Saturday when it flew towards the Paks nuclear power plant. The incident prompted the scrambling of the nation's air force to intercept the small plane.
The military's radars immediately detected the aircraft, and two fighter jets on duty took off.
According to Hungarian Defense Minister Ruszin-Szendi Romulusz, military radar detected the aircraft shortly after it was stolen from the Kaloča airport. Two fighter jets on standby were immediately dispatched to investigate the unauthorized flight. The Paks nuclear power plant is a highly protected site, with a strict no-fly zone extending three kilometers and up to 6,000 meters above it.
The situation was resolved when the Cessna made an emergency landing in a cornfield near the village of Gerjen. The fighter jets located the damaged aircraft and maintained surveillance until rescue helicopters and ground units arrived. Police and other emergency services secured the scene.
The most important thing is that, according to the information we have, no one was injured.
The pilot, a 24-year-old man, was later apprehended by police. Reports indicate he had stolen the plane while in a disoriented state. After landing the damaged aircraft, he attempted to flee in a car belonging to a passerby who had stopped to offer assistance. Police quickly caught the suspect, who was reportedly intoxicated and possibly under the influence of other substances. An investigation into the unauthorized taking of the vehicle and other potential offenses is underway.
The 24-year-old man, who stole the small plane from the Kaloča airport, was caught within minutes.
About this summary
Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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