A passenger flight bound for Tel Aviv triggered a false hijacking alert, leading to the scrambling of Israeli and Bulgarian fighter jets to intercept the aircraft. The alert was caused by a technical malfunction or transponder error, according to corroborated reports from multiple news sources. The flight was operated by Electra Airways, a subsidiary of LOT Polish Airlines, and was an Airbus A320. The aircraft landed safely in Bulgaria.

Separate reports indicate a distinct incident involving an Airbus A321 operating a flight between Tel Aviv and Prague. According to Daily News Hungary, Hungarian fighter jets were scrambled after this aircraft failed to establish contact with air traffic controllers in Hungarian airspace. This incident prompted NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre to order the highest level of alert for the Hungarian Defence Forces. While some sources describe the intercepted aircraft as an A320 on a Warsaw-to-Tel Aviv route, others cite an A321 on a Tel Aviv-to-Prague route, with accounts differing on the specific aircraft model and flight path involved in the respective events.

Additional reporting indicates that Turkish fighter jets were also scrambled in response to the alert. The Bulgarian transport ministry issued a statement clarifying that the diversion was due to a technical failure of the aircraft’s transponder, which transmitted a false signal of unlawful interference.