A passenger plane belonging to the Polish airline LOT called several fighter jets onto the scene on Tuesday (symbolic image).Image: keystone
A passenger plane sends out an alarm message because of a breakdown. Several states react directly.
July 1, 2026, 2:27 p.mJuly 1, 2026, 2:27 p.m
Konstantin Hitscher / t-online
A passenger plane belonging to a Polish airline mistakenly made a hijacking emergency call on Tuesday – thereby calling several fighter jets onto the scene. As a spokesman for the Polish airline LOT told the AFP news agency, both Israel and Bulgaria activated fighter jets.
According to the airline LOT, the flight was en route from Warsaw to Tel Aviv. The flight was operated by the Bulgarian airline Electra Airways.
As the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense explained, the passenger plane had transmitted the transponder code 7500 – the code that signals unlawful interference or hijacking. According to the Times of Israel newspaper, the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport blamed the report on a technical defect. It was then withdrawn again via radio communication.
Breakdown flight has to land in Bulgaria
Nevertheless, various states had already reacted: In response, the Israeli military launched two fighter jets over the Mediterranean. The Bulgarian military also activated a MiG-29 fighter jet. The plane guided the Airbus through Bulgarian airspace.
The maneuver also had an impact on the passengers: contrary to the original plans, the flight had to land in the Bulgarian port city of Burgas. An onward flight to the regular destination Tel Aviv would have exceeded the legally permitted maximum working hours for the crew.
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