Bomb threat forces London-Sofia flight diversion to Hungary

A Hungarian fighter jet was scrambled to escort a Wizz Air aircraft to Budapest after a bomb threat forced the flight travelling from London to Sofia (capital of Bulgaria) to divert.

The Airbus A321neo, which departed London Luton Airport at 8.33am on Monday, was due to arrive at Sofia International Airport at about 1.25pm local time before the reported threat prompted its diversion to Hungary.

Hungary’s Defence Minister, Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, said a Hungarian Gripen fighter jet was deployed “within minutes” to escort the aircraft and ensure it landed safely in Budapest.

The aircraft landed at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport at 12.08pm, according to information reported by Sky News on Monday.

Wizz Air confirmed the incident in a statement also sighted by PUNCH Online on its website and social media handles, saying the threat was received while the aircraft was in flight.

“Wizz Air confirms that today’s London Luton–Sofia flight was diverted to Budapest following a bomb threat received during the flight.

“The aircraft diverted and landed safely at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport in accordance with the relevant security protocols and procedures, before taxiing to a designated stand, where the relevant authorities carried out the necessary security checks on the aircraft and passengers.

“Wizz Air is cooperating fully with the authorities. The safety of passengers and crew remains our highest priority,” the airline said.

The airline also confirmed that authorities were inspecting the aircraft at the Budapest airport, while Hungarian police carried out additional security measures following its arrival.

However, details surrounding the threat, including who was responsible and whether any suspicious objects had been discovered, remained unclear as of Monday afternoon.

Sky News reported that it was also unclear whether the threat was communicated onboard the aircraft or from the ground, and whether passengers and crew had disembarked.

Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed that the aircraft had been scheduled to arrive in Sofia at about 1.25pm local time before its route was diverted towards Hungary over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The incident comes amid heightened security attention following the reported bomb threat, with Hungarian authorities continuing their inspection of the aircraft.