Wizz Air flight makes emergency landing in Budapest following bomb threat

A Wizz Air flight travelling from London Luton Airport to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, was forced to make an emergency landing in Budapest after receiving a bomb threat mid-air. According to a BBC News report, following the incident, the Hungarian defence forces deployed a Gripen fighter jet to escort the passenger-laden aircraft safely to Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport.

According to data from the flight tracking website FlightAware, Wizz Air flight 4302 departed Luton at 08:33 GMT and was expected to reach Sofia at 13:25 (11:25 GMT) local time. However, due to the bomb threat, the aircraft requested permission to land at Budapest airport and touched down there at 12:09 (11:09 GMT) local time.

Hungarian Defence Minister Romulus Rozin-Zendise confirmed on social media that the escort by the Hungarian Defence Force's Gripen fighter jet was provided within minutes of receiving the threat. After the aircraft landed, the fighter jet returned to its base, and the police initiated an investigation into the entire incident.

A spokesperson for Wizz Air stated that following the emergency landing, the aircraft was taken to a designated stand, where the necessary security checks of the plane and passengers were conducted by the authorities. The airline further confirmed that nothing suspicious was found after the investigation was completed and the aircraft would depart again shortly. The airline added that they are cooperating fully with the authorities and that the safety of passengers and crew members is their highest priority.