A False Threat Alert on a Flight from Sofia to London Led to an Escort by German Fighter Jets

German Eurofighter jets escorted a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 from Sofia to London Stansted Airport with 174 people on board. The incident occurred on 11 August.

The flight was in Austrian airspace and preparing to enter Czech airspace but did not receive permission. The aircraft turned left to remain in Austrian airspace and avoid Czech territory.

While flying over Germany, two fighter jets joined the plane and escorted it until it entered Dutch airspace. The flight then continued to London and landed safely at Stansted Airport.

According to reports, there had been a threat against the flight, which led to the Czech Republic denying access to its airspace and the subsequent escort by Eurofighters over Germany. However, the jets did not detect any unusual activity.

The aircraft remained at Stansted overnight and resumed flights the following morning.

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In connection with the incident, the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Ministry of Interior have issued a statement:

On 11 August 2025, a 112 emergency call was received from a citizen reporting that a Ryanair Boeing 737 operating flight FR-9962 from Sofia to London Stansted, with 174 people on board, included a foreign national intending to carry out “malicious actions.”

The police immediately informed the Coordination Centre at Vasil Levski Airport – Sofia, which in turn notified Air Traffic Control (ATC). At the time of the call, the aircraft was already in Serbian airspace over Novi Sad. The ATC shift supervisor in Serbia was informed.

It was promptly established that the caller was a Bulgarian citizen who, according to information from a relative, is mentally unstable. On the specified flight from Sofia to London Stansted, the caller’s former wife and two daughters were travelling. Border police confirmed that no foreign nationals from high-risk countries, as claimed in the report, were on board.

The 36-year-old caller was identified and detained. A pre-trial investigation has been opened. The crisis team immediately notified the airline, Stansted Airport, and partner services. The flight commander and the airline decided not to carry out an emergency landing and to continue to London.

Following the decision of the crisis team at Vasil Levski Airport – Sofia, additional security measures were implemented. No security-related incidents were reported at Sofia Airport during the past 24 hours.