hijack signal — An Israel-bound passenger flight sought to land in Cyprus on Tuesday after a hijack alert was accidentally triggered by the pilot.
- hijack signal — An Israel-bound passenger flight sought to land in Cyprus on Tuesday after a hijack alert was accidentally triggered by the pilot.
- Fortunately, there were no reported injuries among passengers or crew. The incident is currently under review by the relevant aviation authorities.
The Electra Airways flight, originating from Warsaw and heading to Tel Aviv, was carrying 180 passengers when the emergency code was transmitted. Shortly after the signal was sent, the captain promptly informed air traffic controllers that the alert had been activated in error and that the aircraft was safe.
Following the erroneous alert, the aircraft circled near Cyprus while awaiting further instructions. The captain requested clearance to land at Paphos airport; however, due to heavy traffic, the request was declined.
In light of the situation, the flight was diverted to Sofia, Bulgaria, where it was expected to land as authorities investigated the circumstances surrounding the false alarm. Despite the clarification from the cockpit, Israeli authorities adhered to standard security protocols.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) responded by scrambling two fighter jets after receiving reports of a “lack of contact with the aircraft.” The military later announced that communication had been restored, affirming there was “no fear of a security incident.”
Israeli security officials confirmed that there was no evidence of a hijacking or terrorist act, attributing the alert solely to human error in the cockpit. The emergency transponder code, which indicates a hijacking, automatically triggers extensive security measures, necessitating immediate action from aviation and defence authorities until the situation can be verified.
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries among passengers or crew. The incident is currently under review by the relevant aviation authorities.
