After Suspected Unlawful Interference on Board: Bulgarian Air Force Successfully Carries Out Airspace Security Mission

A passenger aircraft was escorted by two Bulgarian MiG-29 fighter jets after a signal indicating unlawful interference on board.

At around midday today, an aircraft operated by a Polish airline entered Bulgarian airspace from the north over the Danube River. It was intercepted by Bulgarian MiG-29 fighter jets after its transponder transmitted code 7500, the internationally recognised emergency code indicating unlawful interference or hijacking.

There are three universal transponder emergency codes, and the signal immediately triggered a response from the Bulgarian Air Force. A MiG-29 fighter jet was scrambled from the Third Air Base and escorted the Airbus A320 southwards through Bulgarian airspace to the Turkish border, where two Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jets took over the escort as the aircraft continued on its route.

The aircraft later left Turkish airspace but was reportedly refused permission to land by three countries. The crew subsequently requested permission to return and land at a Bulgarian civil airport. Bulgarian Air Force fighter jets were scrambled once again, intercepted the aircraft and escorted it to the airport, where it landed safely.

After completing the mission, the MiG-29 fighters returned to Graf Ignatievo Air Base.

The flight was travelling from Warsaw to Tel Aviv, but according to Israeli media reports, contact with the aircraft was temporarily lost before being restored over the Mediterranean Sea. Conflicting reports later emerged suggesting that the aircraft had turned back over the Mediterranean and landed at Burgas Airport. Airport officials confirmed to Bulgarian National Television (BNT), without providing further details, that an unscheduled aircraft had landed at Burgas Airport to refuel.

Bulgaria's Ministry of Defence said the Air Policing mission, involving the scrambling of the MiG-29 fighter jet, had been completed successfully.

According to the ministry, the aircraft entered Bulgarian airspace at 13:57 from the Danube border area, where it was intercepted by a MiG-29 that had taken off from the Third Air Base at 13:54.

"The standby fighter successfully carried out the Air Policing mission by immediately locating and intercepting the aircraft. The Bulgarian pilot completed the identification, communication and escort procedures, accompanying the aircraft throughout Bulgarian airspace," the ministry said.

The operation was conducted in close coordination with the Turkish Air Force, which also scrambled two F-16 fighter jets to assume the escort after the aircraft crossed the state border. The aircraft left Bulgarian airspace at 14:14.

There have been no reports of injuries among the passengers.

The aircraft and its crew managed to regain control and re-establish communications with air traffic control. BNT also learned unofficially that the transponder's 7500 code was activated twice — first before the aircraft entered Bulgarian airspace, and again after it had left Turkish airspace.