Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled after a civilian airliner accidentally transmitted a hijacking alert, according to reports. The flight landed safely in Israel, where security personnel approached with drawn weapons before the error was clarified. No further details on the airline or flight number have been released.
Israeli fighter jets were scrambled Tuesday evening after a civilian airliner accidentally transmitted a hijacking alert, The Zioneer has learned. The aircraft landed safely, where security personnel were filmed approaching with drawn weapons. The incident stemmed from an erroneous hijacking report, with no actual security threat, and the Israeli Air Force has opened an investigation. The flight, initially identified by The Zioneer at 16:02 as a Bulgaria Air flight from Warsaw to Tel Aviv, was diverted to Cyprus and later to Sofia after being denied landing in Cyprus due to congestion, with 180 passengers on board. No details on the airline or flight number have been released in this latest bulletin.
Earlier, at 16:02 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that the pilot of a Bulgaria Air flight from Warsaw to Tel Aviv mistakenly declared a hijack, prompting the Israeli Air Force to scramble two fighter jets, and the flight was diverted to Cyprus. Subsequent reports at the same time specified that the pilot accidentally pressed a button, immediately corrected himself, and that the aircraft carried 180 passengers, later diverted to Sofia. By 16:02, footage released by photographer Dudi Rubinstein showed armed security approaching the aircraft upon landing in Cyprus. Later footage confirmed similar scenes in Israel. Corroboration evolved from single-source reports (journalists Dean Fisher, Moriah Asraf, Doron Kadosh) to multiple newsrooms, with the Israeli Air Force opening an investigation.
As The Zioneer reported on Saturday, a similar incident occurred involving fighter jets scrambled toward an Israeli civilian airliner, with no further details released. The current incident is not linked to that earlier event. No casualties or damage have been reported in either case.
It remains unclear whether the investigation covers the mistaken alert itself or the broader response, and no details on the airline, flight number, or number of passengers have been released in the latest bulletin.
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