Incident Overview
A 24-year-old pilot was arrested in Hungary on suspicion of stealing a light aircraft and flying it into restricted airspace near the Paks nuclear power plant, according to Hungarian authorities. The incident began when the man took off in an allegedly stolen Cessna 172 from Kalocsa Airport, as reported by both uk and the Jerusalem Post.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft was detected on military radar, prompting the Hungarian Defense Forces to dispatch a pair of Gripen fighter aircraft to intercept it. The plane flew into restricted airspace around the Paks nuclear power plant and conducted maneuvers over the facility, according to local reports cited by uk. The pilot then made an emergency landing in a sunflower field in Gerjen, approximately 84 miles south of Budapest, sustaining minor injuries and damaging the aircraft, as detailed by the Jerusalem Post.
After crash-landing, the pilot walked to a nearby road and flagged down a passing driver for assistance, then unsuccessfully attempted to steal the driver's vehicle before being arrested, according to police reports. When he emerged from the crashed plane, he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, as noted by uk.
Official Response
Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi commented on the incident in a Facebook post, calling it a "strange alert." He stated, "The Hungarian Defense Forces are ready. In the air. On the ground. 24 hours a day." He also expressed that the most important thing was that, according to current information, there was no personal injury, and he thanked the defense forces for their "quick response and stance."
The Jerusalem Post reported that the defense minister thanked the Hungarian Defense Forces for their "quick response" and "steadfastness," emphasizing that no injuries were sustained by personnel responding to the incident.
Investigation and Context
Hungary's police force, Rendorseg, is investigating the incident and conducted a joint inspection of Kalocsa airfield alongside the country's aviation authority, with similar checks at other airports to follow, as reported by uk. The Jerusalem Post noted that police worked with the Hungarian Civil Aviation Authority on the joint investigation.
The Paks nuclear power plant, which the aircraft flew towards, produces approximately half of Hungary's electricity, according to the Jerusalem Post. The same report noted that the plant experienced an accident in 2003 involving the cleaning of fuel assemblies in the storage pool near the reactor, which did not lead to radioactive emissions and had no impact on the plant's safety.