A Plane Operated by the Polish Airline LOT Made an Emergency Landing at Burgas Airport After False Hijacking Code Triggered

A LOT Polish Airlines flight from Warsaw to Tel Aviv, operated with an Airbus A320 owned by the Bulgarian carrier Electra Airways, made an emergency landing at Burgas Airport due to a technical malfunction, Bulgaria's Ministry of Transport and Communications said.

According to the ministry, the diversion was caused by a malfunction in the aircraft's transponder, which transmitted a false signal indicating unlawful interference or a hijacking. As a result, standard Air Policing procedures were activated. After it was confirmed that there was no actual threat on board, the aircraft left Bulgarian airspace and continued towards Turkey.

A transponder is an onboard communication device that receives radio signals from ground-based radar or air traffic control and automatically transmits identifying information in response.

At the request of the airline, however, the flight was subsequently terminated and the aircraft was directed back to Bulgaria, where it landed safely at Burgas Airport at 17:15 local time.

The ministry said a crisis headquarters was convened immediately and a local emergency response was declared. In accordance with safety protocols, the aircraft was parked away from the airport's critical infrastructure. Competent authorities from the Ministry of the Interior are carrying out the necessary checks.

The ministry added that no passengers or crew members were injured and the incident did not affect normal operations at Burgas Airport.

Earlier, the Ministry of Defence announced that the Bulgarian Air Force had successfully carried out an airspace security mission by escorting the aircraft following the reported unlawful interference on board. In a subsequent statement, the ministry said that after the aircraft had left Bulgarian airspace, the operator requested permission to return and land at a Bulgarian civilian airport. Air Force quick reaction alert fighter jets were scrambled again, intercepted the aircraft and escorted it safely to Burgas Airport, where it landed. After completing the mission, the fighter aircraft returned to Graf Ignatievo Air Base, the ministry said.